David Low
represents a highly significant component of the history of Celtic FC and consequently a highly significant component of how Scottish Football has panned out in the last 20 years.
As Fergus McCann’s Aide-de-Camp, Low was instrumental in helping him formulate and implement the plans which ultimately allowed control of the club to be wrested from the Kelly and White families. Low also helped McCann to rebuild and regenerate Celtic as a modern football club.
His views are unsurprisingly Celtic-centred, and this interview reveals his ambition for the club to ultimately leave Scottish Football behind. That may or may not be at odds with many of our readers, but the stark analysis of the realities facing football in this country may resonate.
He provides a window on the pragmatism of the likes of McCann, Celtic and many other clubs in respect of the demise of Rangers. He pours scorn on Dave King’s vision of a cash-rich Rangers future, and provides little comfort for those who seek succour for our failing national sport, believing that Scotland will find it impossible to emerge from the football backwater in an increasingly global industry.
Agree or not with Low’s prognosis, it is difficult to deny his compelling analysis of our place in the football world.
loamfeet says:
April 20, 2014 at 8:24 am
==========================
I am all for root and branch change in the SFA, and Regan and Ogilvie should have been removed from position two years ago. However, let’s not forget Doncaster’s role in it all either and he is the head of the SPFL – he is also unfit for purpose IMO.
Having read the report it’s hard to know what to make of it because the writer appears biased against the proposal.
This is interesting. We criticised the clubs over the ‘re-election’ of Campbell Ogilvie, but just how many others were actually eligible?
I have not read the Mail article on the SFA-SPFL but if anyone is foolish enough to believe that the SPFL wants anything more than the power and money of the SFA they are delusional. The SPL era was the most disastrous period in the history of
Scottish football. The people within it who were responsible for the outrageous efforts to force the SFL to enter Sevco into the 1st Division were the power behind the coup which dissolved the SFL. Thus was the sole organization to stand against the Armageddonites of the SFA-SPFL axis and their media pals eliminated. The organization of the SPFL means that never again will the “pishy wee teams” be able to deny the demands of the top tier clubs. Grabbing the rest of what remains of Scottish football administration will not remove a tainted organization but concentrate power in the hands of an even more tainted one.
Is European football worth anything then? If you’re Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Motherwell or St Johnstone then the reward for finishing high up the league, second or third, or winning the Scottish Cup, is a curtailed close season, disruption to pre-season preparation and a slog of six or eight games in July & Aug, a chunk of those before the Scottish league season even kicks off. Even if three Scottish clubs slog through Europa League qualifying rounds 1 and/or 2, then 3, the play-off round – effectively qualifying round 4 – could easily throw up a pretty big name and make it very tough to reach the group stage.
So regionalise it. And there’s your North Sea League. Three teams each from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, one from Iceland. Four groups of four. Top two in each go to quarter finals. Everyone gets six games, finalists play a max of 11 games. No preliminary rounds. Get an oil industry sponsor.
Games on offer? Dundee Utd v FC Copenhagen, Motherwell v HJK Helsinki, Aberdeen v Malmö. Make the prize money decent. Winners get a group stage place in the Champs League the following season. Hey presto.
rabtdog says:
April 20, 2014 at 9:43 am
1 0 Rate This
———–
Bravo rabtdog. Completely sensible idea. Not only an oil sponsor, a few ferry companies could be invited … er … on board. A North Sea League could even kickstart a ferry service between say Edinburgh and Gothenburg or Oslo. Gothenburg is ideal for further travel north, south and east to various locations. Excellent train & ferry connections to Stockholm (and ferry to Finland), north to Oslo (a few hours), south to Mamlø or Copenhagen (again, just a few hours). If the league games were played in the better part of the year, weather-wise, a mini cruise or two to the Nordic region would be a bit more fun than flying to Eastern Kazahstan.
Not sue I’d want to sail on a football special with the family, though 🙂
PhilMacGiollaBhain says:
April 19, 2014 at 12:10 pm
48 0 Rate This
DK has two routes to be the main man at the top of the Marble Staircase:
He buys shares in RIFC-lots of them.
He buys Ibrox stadium in a liquidation sale.
His Season Ticket “strike” could engineer the latter.
———
Good debate surrounding the Glenn Gibbons piece.
Regarding any eventual liquidation sale, is there not still some dispute about the ownership of Ibrox? If Whyte is a spanner in the works, is a liquidation sale even possible before the question of ownership is resolved?
Btw, noticed that Whyte’s chateau has been repossessed. Considering that he appeared not to have had any serious plans to pay the mortgage, was the castle part of an attempt to enforce the off-the-radar billionaire myth? Part of the creation of a ‘legend’ — his plausible, though fabricated, reputation? If the PR consultant did wash his Google history, it all fits a pattern. (I’ll get ma cloak and dagger)
Mind you, if AM had navigated those infamous Euro ties, would it have been Craig Whyte running the IPO and not Monsieur Grandes Mains?
Upthehoops
I see this as a good thing as club Directors are more answerable to supporters and shareholders than the SFA.
We have already seen that.
I have said before that the SFA should become the servants of the game with responsibility for maintaining the integrity aspect (after a clear out of course) and the SPFL the customer to whom the SFA provide services.
I think the SPFL have all the ammo they need now having apparently been misled by the SFA, to put a more professional structure in place.
It is all going nicely.
Not only does it disrupt their pre-season, it often costs them financially because of the ridiculous places they are often required to go, many of which are not, by any stretch of the imagination, in Europe
justshatered says:
April 19, 2014 at 11:49 pm
“If you consider them a new club there is no need to write the letter in the first place.”
—————————————
I think you’ve encapsulated the dilemma nicely. A letter of comfort concerning the effects of EBT’s is a pointless exercise unless the enduring ethereal entity (club) survives the demise of any mortal corporate foundation. Smugas and Campbellsmoney had a misunderstanding earlier (or was it someone else?) that revolved around the club history being a brand. Perhaps the brand value retained more selling power without the blemish acts of gross misconduct would have placed on its curriculum vitae.
scottc says:
April 20, 2014 at 9:02 am
“This is interesting. We criticised the clubs over the ‘re-election’ of Campbell Ogilvie, but just how many others were actually eligible?”
————————————–
Very interesting and the second article in as many days that is not agenda riven.
Had the SFA maintained their moral authority they would have likely been capable of fending off the assault from the SPFL. There needs to be an oversight of any constitution and that was the SFA’s role. Unfortunately like a lot of institutions over the last few decades, it forgot what it was for and went chasing money.
You can’t really blame the SPFL. They don’t want to retain the taint that the SFA has afforded itself.
I think the fall of the Roman Empire must have looked something like this in its earliest days. The institutions that were intended to hold it strong deserted their posts and the void was filled by those whose agenda’s were not aligned with the guiding star. It is to be hoped that there are a few sainted souls remaining somewhere in the bowels of Hampden that can recover the situation in the fullness of time.
Auldheid
Agreed the SPFL has already got rid of the sopohorific influence of the Brothers from the lower leagues , the disciplinary system has already been overhauled ( the only person who public whinged and wanted a return to the Committee of Brothers ) was McCoist.
The SFA cannot be reformed , a self perpetuating org. run for the benefit of the Brothers , a bit like the Bank of Scotland , with a poor culture ( evidence Dallas emails) every single piece of work that these brogue wearing chumps currently undertake , that can be lodged / taken by the SPFL will be a bitter pill for the Govan club …. anyone know where the dodgy bonus investigation to Brother Longmuir get up to , or is that another blue and whitewash.
Still, nice day , garden calls after I have found my Easter egg!
Auldheid says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:48 am
=========================
Ultimately I hope you are correct Auldheid. I read some tweets yesterday from the SFA Communications Officer ludicrously claiming the SFA engaged with fans via social media. If the SFA was a drinks producer, or clothing manufacturer and ignored as many complaints from customers as they do fans, some regulatory body would have come down heavily on them long ago. I find it incredible that an organisation that receives so much public money is unaccountable for its actions to anyone.
RyanGosling says:
April 19, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Perhaps being subjected to racist abuse in Scotland for over a decade, being the victim of criminal assaults in the street and having bullets and (badly assembled) bombs sent to him in the post has caused him to be “worked up”.
Unlike you I have met Neil Lennon professionally and socially and the real Neil Lennon is not the Punch Cartoon caricature of popular imagination in some parts of the United Kingdom.
EKBhoy says:
April 20, 2014 at 11:16 am
15 3 Rate This
Still, nice day , garden calls after I have found my Easter egg!
————
Just in from the garden masel. And what a lot of grass to cut. It shot up while we were away in Alsace last week — which is a bit like Perthshire with vineyards 🙂 Speaking of Perthshire, I listened to yesterday’s evening Off the Ball, while doing the grass. What a great programme it’s turning into. Lots of emphasis on the totality of Scottish football, Airdrie and Falkirk fans being given air time, and much speaking of common sense.
Excellent points made about the top tier ‘play-off’ being heavily weighted in favour of the gang of 12. Interesting too, that while we rightly bemoan the outrage of national champions being made to jump through three qualifying hoops to reach the CL, Scottish football has put the exact same number of hoops in place for the second-placed Championship team to reach the top tier!
If things get worse for Ibrox we may see the idea of a 16-team top tier return. Surveys of fans have shown that a desire for fewer repetitive matches is high on the list. Hopefully, the authorities will do the right thing, even though it is from the wrong motives. On the same point, Hugh Keevins responded to a caller last week — a caller promoting the idea of an expanded league — by saying that you couldn’t have play-offs in a bigger league. Really? No one thought to mention the size of the EPL or the possibility of adopting the EPL system in a Scottish 16-team top league.
Oh, and the final words of the Super Saintee himself at the end of OtB were about the show being ‘uncensored’. Nice one.
Danish Pastry says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:36 am
Getting the Contingent Liability note in the RIFC accounts is probably as good as it gets for Sevco 5088 and Craig Whyte.
The claim is weak, but real enough not to be dismissed by Deloittes .
It has prevented RIFC from raising fiance in the Square Mile in December/January.
Craigy boy wants paid to go away.
Like most of the issues at Ibrox money-lots of it-makes it better.
As a non Celtic fan I feel I have to stand up for Lennon. I think the way he has conducted himself as Celtic manager cannot be faulted and he’s done this in the face of a number of extremely disturbing acts against him. I think that rather than try to protect him from any similar actions in the future. The SFA has singled him out for censure when almost every other manager in the league could have been charged with the same offense and the media has continued this fiction that he brings it on himself. There are times when he has let his emotions get on top, but again he has never descended to the level of many other players and managers. Rather it is an excuse to side with the Rangers mob, about whom the media continue to excuse any act as provoked, irrespective of how illegal or outrageous it was, while arguing that clapping your own fans should be banned as an act of provocation.
Lennon is a victim of his own success as a player too he came to Scotland with a reputation as a plucky underdog midfielder who prevented other players playing through hard work and failed to respect reputations. This analysis itself is grossly unfair to Lennon, but when you’re a continuous thorn in the side of Arsenal and Chelsea the English media need an excuse to justify why their favorite teams weren’t walking all over Leicester. This reputation transformed itself into something slightly more sinister under the watchful eye of the Scottish media. Again something that Lennon didn’t deserve. Frankly any player who received the level of analysis hid play did would look dirty. As a player, it was easy fpr non-Celtic fans to dislike him because he was so good. If he’d played for my team, I’d have loved him for exactly the same reasons.
I am struggling to understand the fluffy affection for the SPFL on show here from some. The SPL was as deeply into the Sevco stitch-up as the SFA. It was the “Brothers” from the lower leagues that depth-charged this. I really don’t understand why EKbhoy would think that power now lying with the main plotters is a good thing or that strengthening that power should be welcomed. Longmuir tried to serve the demands and interests of the axis but was smacked down by the SFL clubs. In the end he was made redundant for failing the SPL power-brokers. Donkey by contrast received a pay increase then the “big job” at the SPFL. There is no case to be made for the SPFL being a positive force in Scottish football. It is the continuation of a failed project run by the same failed leadership. There is no way that they should be given more power.
Danish Pastry, I agree that the play-off arrangements benefit the Premiership club but it is not quite as lop-sided as you think. The latter has to play 2 more League matches than the Championship club, so if the 2nd placed club makes it to the play-off final, then they will have faced the same number of matches to get there. The 3rd and 4th placed obviously have it harder. The big benefit is that the Premiership club hosts the 2nd leg of the play-off. I am hoping someone else gets to experience the play-off as we are the only club to have been relegated from the top Division via the play-offs. Though we did get promoted from 4th place in the old 2nd Division!
Jagsman says:
April 20, 2014 at 2:50 pm
10 0 Rate This
I am struggling to understand the fluffy affection for the SPFL on show here from some. The SPL was as deeply into the Sevco stitch-up as the SFA. It was the “Brothers” from the lower leagues that depth-charged this. I really don’t understand why EKbhoy would think that power now lying with the main plotters is a good thing or that strengthening that power should be welcomed. Longmuir tried to serve the demands and interests of the axis but was smacked down by the SFL clubs. In the end he was made redundant for failing the SPL power-brokers. Donkey by contrast received a pay increase then the “big job” at the SPFL. There is no case to be made for the SPFL being a positive force in Scottish football. It is the continuation of a failed project run by the same failed leadership. There is no way that they should be given more power.
—–
Break time from the garden.
My recollection was that Longmuir was about to be sacked , prior to his fiefdom being pulled from under him, as he , allegedly, received an un-disclosed bonus of £100K with the approval of Mr Ballantyne (Airdrie CEO). This was all news to the former SFL clubs who do not have 2 ha’pennies to rub together. Police were called and there has subsequently been a North Korean style media blackout.
Those sort of characters should not be in charge of a game of tiddlywinks.
The fact that Scottish football has thus far survived , albeit at a poorer level, with the draining impact of the EPL next door and the bungling brogues running the SFA is some sort of victory. It says a lot for the SFA that a top flight professional club like Celtic will not let any of their under -16s , join-up with the SFA , they ( the SFA) cannot be trusted and every single piece of work removed from their remit should be treated as a blessing …… there is only 1 club not in favour of this , you’ve guessed it ,,,,,,,, the Harry Rags will be right behind this as well…..
PhilMacGiollaBhain says:
April 20, 2014 at 1:43 pm
42 5 Rate This
RyanGosling says:
April 19, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Perhaps being subjected to racist abuse in Scotland for over a decade, being the victim of criminal assaults in the street and having bullets and (badly assembled) bombs sent to him in the post has caused him to be “worked up”.
Unlike you I have met Neil Lennon professionally and socially and the real Neil Lennon is not the Punch Cartoon caricature of popular imagination in some parts of the United Kingdom.
=======================================
The sad thing is that for some people it actually requires someone who knows Neil Lennon or has enjoyed his company to bring some sanity to this and to state whats bleeding obvious to the rest of us – Lennon is a normal human being, just like the rest of us. A real person, performing quite well in a rather pressured job, and with the sort of media focus most of us cannot imagine.
I think “caricature” is probably the best word to describe what some people seem to base their judgement of Lennon on. (if there is another word for a caricature that appears to have been created to serve a sinister agenda then this might be the occasion to use it.)
Personally I think its really quite simple to look past the caricature we are often presented and see a decent, honest, real person. You shouldn’t need to meet him to see that IMO.
I also think that occasionally Lennon needs to defend himself, to stand his ground without fear – personally I’m glad he does this although the media often do enjoy twisting anything he says or does.
As for the excuse that he was hated as a player so its ok – well I agree that on the football pitch Lennon was one of those players fans of other teams liked to “hate” – there are lots of them. But thats where I would normally end – these players are not hated in the real sense that some people seem to harbour a dislike for Lennon. These “hated” players sometimes changes sides to play for your own club and suddenly the same fans now love these players. It not the same as what Lennon has been treated to.
In his case, I sense a far different “vibe” and I think a football rivalry is used as an all too convenient camoflage for a real sense of hatred harboured by some people out there.
However, one thing I can confirm is that its not just some sections of Rangers fans that hold something against Lennon, I’ve seen it in other supports including my own – not widespread, not necessarily sectarian, but I’ve seen it there.
Sad country that we live in.
I have no clue about Celtic’s beef with the SFA and their U-16s. Are they concerned they will be abused? Is this widespread or limited to Celtic? The SPL project has seen 2 clubs liquidated and another 5 in admin. A number of the others have built up unmanageable debts. You think this collection of geniuses should grab what else remains of power and control that they don’t already have? Rationalise that for me please. It is the Harry Wraggs btw and I am mentally independent of the BoD at Firhill.
Danish Pastry says:
April 20, 2014 at 1:45 pm
3 0 Rate This
If things get worse for Ibrox we may see the idea of a 16-team top tier return. Surveys of fans have shown that a desire for fewer repetitive matches is high on the list. Hopefully, the authorities will do the right thing, even though it is from the wrong motives. On the same point, Hugh Keevins responded to a caller last week — a caller promoting the idea of an expanded league — by saying that you couldn’t have play-offs in a bigger league. Really? No one thought to mention the size of the EPL or the possibility of adopting the EPL system in a Scottish 16-team top league.
==============================
Not surprising really that Keevins gets this so completely wrong, as he does most things. He really is clueless.
In the case of an expanded league to say 16 or 18 teams, then play offs should logically be increased to compensate the number of league matches and keep the number of competitive matches and therefore income levels up.
As you say an EPL style play off with several of the lowest teams in the top league involved would be ideal.
It does make me laugh though – most of these pundits couldn’t have cared less about play offs over the last 10 years but suddenly after 1 season they become a reason to block an expansion of the top league. Keevins and his like really are hopeless, spineless creatures.
Matty Roth says:
April 20, 2014 at 3:54 pm
Well said Matty.
Matty Roth says:
April 20, 2014 at 3:54 pm
=======================
In Neil Lennon’s autobiography he comments on specific journalists who assassinated his character yet he had never even met them face to face. When I watched the incident yesterday with the Hearts player Hamill pushing over the Ross County Manager it struck me there was a real lack of media outrage about it. Just imagine Lennon had committed a similar offence. Interesting the only reports I’ve read today are from Gary Locke bemoaning the players absence for the Hibs game.
Works both ways though UTH. Funnily enough I was just about to write before I saw your post that fans of my own club probably view Lennon in the same way they do brown or hamill. Dislike able and disappointingly effective players all 3. I’m sure they’re all good value for a pint and a natter.
It still amazes me how many people seem to have an aversion to Neil Lennon’s first name. It’s almost heterodox to write the guy’s Christian name. There could be hundreds of reasons for this, but the overall effect when you see him just called “Lennon” time after time after time is to dehumanise him, which suits a particular agenda that, sadly, persists in Scotland.
Very, very sad.
Smugas says:
April 20, 2014 at 5:05 pm
=======================
Smugas, my point is no-one in the media seems bothered about Hamill’s behaviour, which was actually outrageous. Lennon has been crucified previously for the heinous crime of kicking water bottles.
We could talk about it all night I suppose and I’m sure TSFM would rather we didn’t! Anyway, as I’m off on a Monday for a change I intend to visit the pub 🙂
Jagsman says:
April 20, 2014 at 3:59 pm
5 16 Rate This
I have no clue about Celtic’s beef with the SFA and their U-16s. Are they concerned they will be abused? Is this widespread or limited to Celtic? The SPL project has seen 2 clubs liquidated and another 5 in admin. A number of the others have built up unmanageable debts. You think this collection of geniuses should grab what else remains of power and control that they don’t already have? Rationalise that for me please. It is the Harry Wraggs btw and I am mentally independent of the BoD at Firhill.
——
Cheap shot, re abuse perhaps you may wish to reconsider that comment.
Celtic will not allow their youth players to be part of the SFA set-up , as they believe it is inferior and will result ultimately in a poorer development of the players and the inevitable poaching & nonsense that goes on at that level of football.
I hope that clears up your abuse comment , which really ought to see you red carded from this site. Still probably counts as banter down the west end.
In case you hadn’t noticed most clubs are beginning to be run in a sensible financial footing , one or two honourable exceptions though ( it was always thus) , are you suggesting that the SFA run the leagues , sort of like a time-warp back to the 1960’s?
They ( the SFA) are almost entirely inward looking, self serving organisation who could have stepped in over the last 40 years and fixed the game , sorry wrong blazer, wrong century …… They have had their chance , the game needs a more professional approach , it’s the only positive way forward.
Auldheid says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:48 am
Not sure its all going nicely at all. There is an awfully lot of the baby getting thrown out with the bath water. These resolutions need a lot of careful study, not to be bounced on everyone in this fashion.
Islam Feruz was poached while on Scotland duty. He probably wouldn’t have stayed at Celtic anyway because he already thought he was too good, Tommy Burns or no Tommy Burns, but the fact remains Celtic handed care of the player to the SFA and the SFA permitted EPL scouts to schmooze and bamboozle the bhoy.
Angus1983 says:
April 20, 2014 at 5:38 pm
There is a pattern. You may not recognise it, but it’s there. Funnily enough, something similar happened to John Lennon in the 1960s in reporting of the Beatles by the popular press: Paul, George, Ringo and Lennon. Then Jagger took up the mantle. It’s not to say everyone shares the same agenda or that you do, but those who follow the pattern support the agenda whether they mean to or not.
The guy came to Scotland nearly 15 years ago. He has done well. Scotland has treated him abysmally, not all people in Scotland, but Scotland generally and collectively needs to give itself a shake over its treatment of him, even if lots of people insist he “brings it upon himself”. Can you find another example of a football manager who, because of his exploits in football, has been the subject of attempted murder? Do you recognise that this is unusual? There are reasons. They are not comfortable.
I can understand why some team’s fans ‘hate’ Neil Lennon. He did have that ‘in your face’ style as a player that antagonises opposition players and therefore fans.
Loads of players over the years had the same style (and probably worse disciplinary records) but were never subjected to the level of scrutiny Neil Lennon has endured.
The coverage he receives in the press is astonishingly negative in comparison to every other manager.
What would have been the reaction if it had been Neil Lennon and not Craig Brown who had hit the Aalborg? Director?
What would have been the reaction to the “shame game” if the roles had been reversed?
Mr Lennon may well be sweetness and light, we’re talking about a fitba player turned manager here btw, but I draw the line at….”Paul, George, Ringo and Lennon.” As a major Beatles fan I’ve never heard that before and it jars the ear. Sorry, off topic, as you were.
ernie says:
April 20, 2014 at 6:02 pm
“I’ve never heard that before and it jars the ear.”
—
That doesn’t mean I made it up.
upthehoops says: April 20, 2014 at 4:26 pm
When I watched the incident yesterday with the Hearts player Hamill pushing over the Ross County Manager it struck me there was a real lack of media outrage about it. Just imagine Lennon had committed a similar offence. Interesting the only reports I’ve read today are from Gary Locke bemoaning the players absence for the Hibs game.
==============================
I’m sure that it will be discussed on Sportscene tonight.
Here are some comments about the incident from a Hearts forum
Absolute radge!
He’s not very intelligent.
Sent off for being thick.
Stupid dick
A complete idiot
What a tosser
He was an a***hole for getting that red.
The guy needs to have a word with himself.
I don’t think you will get much complaint from Hearts fans if he gets a call from Vincent Lunney.
As a non Celtic supporter, I am no apologist for Neil Lennon, but the SMSM continual criticism of him, indicates the low level of sports journalism we have in this country.
When he played for Celtic he was the type of player that every other club supporter would despise, due to his mannerisms on the park and the fact that he wanted to referee every game he played in.
I would dearly love my club to have a player like that in their current team.
As a manager Neil Lennon has experienced a reasonable level of success in the Champions League and the SPL, without barking up many trees in the domestic cup competitions.
Over and above this he has been physically attacked by Ally McCoist at Celtic Park and by a Hearts supporter at Tynecastle.
While Neil Lennon May not be an angel, the SMSM would be better to concentrate their minds on the continued complicity of the SFA /SPFL in breaking every rule in the book to ensure that their chosen club are fast tracked back to the SPFL irrespective of their current dire financial status and their supporters behaviour.
The treatment of the Dundee Utd supporter leaving Ibrox last weekend is nothing short of a national disgrace and has been completely ignored by the SFA, Police Scotland and the SMSM, who just want to completely ignore the incident and pretend that it never happened.
I still recall my visit to Ibrox in 1973 when Hibs had the audacity to score the first goal of the game and the Hibs supporters then spent the remaining hour dodging beer bottles thrown from the terracing into the Main Stand, ably assisted by about 200 police officers who just turned a blind eye to it.
Unfortunately the behaviour of these morons has not improved during the last 41 years, which is a sad reflection on Scottish Society today.
Alan Price says:
April 20, 2014 at 8:45 pm
“Just something that irritates…………….”
To be honest I’ve no problem with this statement………………….. if all you do is read the Scottish papers and watch TV.
As people we are given subtle and sometimes not so subtle messages by the media. The constant use of words like “fuming”, “raged”, “exploded” when you read comments made by an individual and you will begin to form an opinion. This opinion will be reinforced if it is accompanied by a picture of someone whose face is contorted in rage or screaming at someone.
This is the permanent default setting of the print media with regards to Neil Lennon. Since he became manager of Celtic the treatment he has received has been nothing short of scandalous.
The perfect example of this is the so called “shame game”. While his reaction to what Ally McCoist said was not acceptable it was his reaction picture that was flashed across the globe yet not one of our media demanded to know what it was McCoist said. So a manager who has just won a game and who is jubilant is, for some reason, turned from the happy guy walking forward to shake hands with the opposition manager to reacting badly to something said.
As I said the picture of Neil Lennon’s reaction was flashed around the globe.
As a straw poll here can anyone remember the picture that was taken, from the same game, of Ally McCoist’s attempt to get into the Celtic dugout shortly after an altercation between Diouf and Lennon. This picture was available, on certain websites, in the days shortly after the match but, to my knowledge, it took a full three weeks for it to be printed in a national paper and even then it was buried behind the racing results.
What was the reason for this?
Well in my mind it is simply to reinforce the perception of the raging out of control Neil Lennon while at the same time defending the perception of the “cheeky chappie”, “happy go lucky” Ally McCoist.
Someone asked earlier on what the reaction would have been if Neil Lennon had did what Hamill did yesterday well I’ve got a better one. Could anyone imagine what the reaction would have been if Neil Lennon had struck an opposition manager in a European tie?
Yet this has happened in this country when Craig Brown was manager of Motherwell. There was an altercation and he struck the opposing manager. Chick Young was actually laughing when he reported this on the radio!
Every manager at some time gets over excited. Most if not all will over step the mark and be called in front of a disciplinary panel. Is Neil Lennon any worse that the other managers. Well certainly some would have us believe he is and yet his only ban over the last two seasons was for calling Jim Goodwin of St. Mirren a nasty name which even Jim himself described as a nonsense.
You have to love a good “why Lennon is hated so much” (see what I did there?) discussion.
I have changed my views on many things since I started following the RTC and TSFM blogs, fans from other clubs have educated me to points of view I had never before considered. I admit I was blinkered and arrogant in respect to the challenges faced by the other clubs and how the unfair disadvantage I thought my team had against Rangers, could be multiplied for the smaller clubs.
For everyone that believes the only reason Neil Lennon is abused to that level within Scottish football is due to nothing more than the fact he was a combative midfielder, I ask you to join me by considering the other side’s point of view.
I hated Terry Butcher when he played for Rangers; I even hated him for a short while after he left. Now I find him to be a very important character in Scottish football and like to listen to him talk football. I hated him for the same reason everyone appears to hate Neil Lennon, the hatred changed/disappeared shortly after he stopped playing.
Now be honest with yourself, if Neil Lennon left in the summer, would you stop hating him?
Madbhoy24941 says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:06 pm
I hated Terry Butcher when he played for Rangers; I even hated him for a short while after he left.Now I find him to be a very important character in Scottish football and like to listen to him talk football.
Maybe his rangerstitis wore off, it happens you know 🙂
easyJambo says:
April 20, 2014 at 7:23 pm
=====================
Cheers EJ.
Definitely a slow news day and posting rights removed from some of our less temperate brethren.
No more Lennon please – for the moment anyway :-).
Cluster One says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:13 pm
=======================
I really like Terry Butcher. I did not like what he became for a while when he was at Rangers, but he admitted himself in print he had become something he really shouldn’t have. That is not to say he should not be able to look back at lots of his time at Rangers positively.
I feel he has been refreshingly honest as a Manager and his teams have given Rangers every bit as hard a time in the past as any other team. I hope Hibs stick with him as I believe he will get there through time, and the potential is huge.
TSFM says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:41 pm
=======================
I expected you on earlier with that message! 🙂
Esteban says:
April 20, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Islam Feruz was poached while on Scotland duty. He probably wouldn’t have stayed at Celtic anyway because he already thought he was too good…
______________________
Is Feruz still playing for Chelsea?
Haven’t heard much about him recently.
Hope you all had a happy Easter.
Ive been out in the sticks with no wiffi, an Easter blessing.
Some great insight into the SFA here, from what I read, with patchy connections, it looks like Regan was always the hired ‘gopher boy’ the real power lies with all the inbred, backsliders steeped in years in a closed shop association, they are a cancer sucking the future out of our game, the SPFL would be miles better than that bloody country club of blazers, they have no plan but same old same old, hunt the lot of them in SFA.
Apparently, yes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_Feruz
EKbhoy: apologies if I upset you or anyone else, but having had the U-16 age group specified, I was being serious not frivolous. Hence my wondering if other clubs also kept their U-16s outwith SFA coaching programs.
Thank you for outlining Celtics concerns. Young players having their heads turned by bigger clubs is nothing new of course, and while teams like Thistle and Motherwell are lower than Celtic on that food chain, Celtic are below Chelsea I’m afraid. I couldn’t comment on the quality of coaching but I wonder if the level of quality coming out of the youth programs at Lennoxtown and Murray Park (the respective U-20s are streets ahead there) is what it should be given the capacity to attract the best young players and the facilities available. Is Celtic’s development program achieving what you think it should?
Re it being time to have the SFA run in a professional manner, I recall that particular mantra in the run-up to the birth of the SPL. The “pros” did an appalling job as the admin/liquidation fall-out shows. Under the auspices of this cabal, administration brought no punishment at all. When Thistle were last relegated from the SPL, there were 3 unsanctioned clubs in admin in the league and Motherwell signed 2 of our better players under freedom of contract, paying more under administration than we could as we tried to balance the books (having built up debt to achieve the stadium requirements). As I pointed out, the SPFL hierarchy were as deeply into the Sevco rescue mission as anyone. Feel free to fall for their latest line if you like.
upthehoops says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:49 pm
22 2 Rate This
Cluster One says:
April 20, 2014 at 10:13 pm
=======================
I really like Terry Butcher. I did not like what he became for a while when he was at Rangers, but he admitted himself in print he had become something he really shouldn’t have. That is not to say he should not be able to look back at lots of his time at Rangers positively.
I feel he has been refreshingly honest as a Manager and his teams have given Rangers every bit as hard a time in the past as any other team. I hope Hibs stick with him as I believe he will get there through time, and the potential is huge.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
I know where you are coming from. My dad was very close friends with a referee who was around at the time Butcher was at RFC. He said he had never been spoken to or swore at to such an extent from a player until he met Terry. But over the years I have mellowed to him. Don’t know why but he seems to love Scotland and he most definitely doesn’t have that English football brilliant Scottish football shite snobbery that you get from media guys, (even some Scottish ones sadly).
BTW, the ref in question was a diehard hibbee, he refereed plenty CFC and RFC games but never when the two met.
Has the bonfire been lit under the blazers noses? Can Ogilvie and Doncaster stand any chance of surviving? I think Doncaster may just move sideways and be saved by the skin of his teeth because he isn’t as tainted as Ogilvie. Is this train being driven by the Celtic AGM?
Questions were raised about the license for the new team and the support were raising it with European hierarchy.
Did the board at Parkhead stop the train in its tracks as they had another plan?
Alloa raise the points but Celtic are lurking. I sincerely hope not as I want them at the front driving that train as they are the club with power. It would look sneaky if they hid behind another club. Please say it ain’t so.
Some hope for Rangers fans to finally be able to identify the people behind Blue Pitch and Margarita/ATP?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27099576
“Companies will be forced to list their true owners on a public register in a bid to combat tax evasion and money-laundering, Vince Cable has said”.
Or perhaps not if the threshold for disclosure is set at 25% ownership of a company. I suspect that the Spivs will be long gone before the new rules come into force in any event.
rabtdog says:
April 19, 2014 at 11:35 pm
25 12 Rate This
Alan Price/RyanGosling
Nah. Certain players in Scottish football are/were simply more irritating than others. Lennon, Barry Ferguson, Paul Hartley, that big lump who played centre half for Inverness (Tokeley, pardon any misspelling), the other big lump from eastern Europe who played centre half for Hearts and got send off regularly…
As RG says, meet them in the pub and they’d probably be sweeties
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There are many players, managers and referees who I have over the years, given dogs abuse from the terraces at times. all in the name of rivalry of course. 🙄
I used to drink in the company of Neil Lennon quite often as hew was a friend of some friends and would bump into him out shopping in the West End. Always found him to be relatively quiet and unassuming in the pub and certainly nothing like he sometimes comes across as a player and manager. Mind you, I am sure many of us are quite different on and off the field when we have played sports.
Considering all he (and his family) have gone through over the years, I have the greatest respect for him and admire his fortitude.
[EDIT: Apologies TFSM, had not seen your request to hold fast on the NL discussion]
EKBhoy says:
April 21, 2014 at 10:18 am
Your points about Jags suffering previously is history, everyone has suffered from clubs refusing to balance their books; question is what to do about it going forward?
————————————
Thistle suffered from not only that other clubs using money they didn’t have but the footballing authorities ludicrous minimum all-seater criteria which was then discarded allowing Thistle to be relegated having already almost bankrupted themselves to build a stand.
———————
, so the Thistle fans can carry on with their child abuse chants on the terraces and seemingly now on the internet.
===============
EKBhoy, this comment is almost as crass as the one which drew it out.
Partick Thistle have effectively spent thousands on becoming a family club with the kids go free scheme which has been in place for 7 or 8 seasons now. They have also banned the singing on some songs which, while possibly able to be construed as sectarian, were in reality ironic barbs against both sides of the divide.
I can also say, that if you ever hear such chants at Firhill (and personally I would be very surprised if you have) or when their fans travel, a letter or email to the Club will almost certainly be responded to and if stewards are asked to intervene at the time they will.
I know of recent cases where PTFC season ticket holders have been disciplined by the club merely for the overuse of swear words in and around the family area.
Para handy
Last game at Celtic park , audible guff ….. From the jags , subject closed , point made.
Donegaltim says:
April 21, 2014 at 10:06 am
4 1 Rate This
……
Alloa raise the points but Celtic are lurking. I sincerely hope not as I want them at the front driving that train as they are the club with power. It would look sneaky if they hid behind another club. Please say it ain’t so.
===================================
I don’t think the points were raised by Mike Mulraney in his position as Alloa Chairman – he was acting as spokesperson for the SPFL.
If there is some consensus between Championship and Premiership clubs then it makes sense for one of the Championship clubs on the SPFL board to make the statement to the press rather than the SPFL be open to criticism it is only representing the gang of 12.
I think so far people are split quite evenly between whether this is a good or bad thing. Personally the bit quoted below is the one that got my attention:-
————————————-
Some people may find that the status quo is appropriate. I don’t and I my colleagues don’t.”
“We’re not looking to take over the SFA board but we think it is reasonable to have another member on it.
“We should be selecting the best people available to go on the board.
“The concept that you have to have served a four-year apprenticeship or more to become an office bearer is wrong.
“We feel it is reasonable of us to want to select the best candidate available and not those who have been longest serving, though of course the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.”
——————————————
The SFA needs to be reformed, by force if necessary.
As Jagsman and a few others have pointed out the governance of the SPL has been disgraceful at times, his example of clubs being relegated while other in administration remain in the top league, picking off their best players simply should not be allowed to occur.
However, they are most answerable to the clubs and by extension to the fans. If the SPFL won’t force reform on the SFA who do we think will?
But then if the SPFL increase their power, won’t we just see even more focus on commercialism over integrity?
We have a dilemma.
I would have to see more information on this planned takeover from the SPFL before making judgement but the key for me is to rid the SFA of the old school, if this can be done by passing more power to the clubs then I would welcome that.
One good thing about the clubs running the game is that they can no longer hide behind the “it was the SFA” line, they will be held responsible for the actions or lack of actions taken on specific subjects.
The only real change in the last few years happened only because the fans dictated, therefore the clubs had to respond. You just cannot have that same affect on the SFA.
At least when I raise my concerns with the club I get a response. The SFA don’t even respond to basic requests and the media refuse to ask those questions on our behalf so I would like to see change of some sort
Not sure if this is the way to do it but I am all ears…..
Bad grammar alert
In my last post I wrote about Terry Butcher and how I have mellowed to him.
Sentence “don’t know why but he seems to like Scotland”
I’m not asking why he likes Scotland as my post suggests. I meant I don’t know why I am starting to like him and pointing out his affection for Scotland. Only I didn’t do a very good job of it.
Circled in red pen and see me after class for Fara
🙂
I have mixed feelings about the SPFL’s attempted coup of the SFA.
There is certainly a need to clear out the blazers and the old boys network. If that includes changing the qualification criteria to sit on the SFA Board, then I have no problem with that. Similarly with making it a much more transparent and responsive organisation.
What I am uncomfortable with is the apparent desire of the SPFL clubs to cherry pick some of the SFA’s initiatives (mainly the ones the attract funding from the Scottish Governmet or external sponsorship).
I read some of the comments at the weekend, e.g from a Hamilton spokesman:
“Clubs such as Hamilton have shown the way with their youth set-up but the costs are very high.These clubs are at the heart of their communities and if they could control the cash they might be able to put more money into facilities and coaching.”
So Hamilton want clubs like them to put more money into facilities and coaching. Fantastic! My question to them is “what spending would you cut so that you could spend more on Hamilton’s facilities? Investment in boys clubs, schools, amateur football, women’s football?
I guess that the more fundamental question is how we as fans want football to be governed going forward. I have no problem if the senior professional game wants to go it alone and govern itself. (we have all seen the “roaring success” of the SPL in its 15 years of existence 🙁 ). However, as independent businesses with shareholders to satisfy, I think that clubs will have to attract their own funding, rather than expect hand-outs from the government. I am certain that a group of clubs (10, 12, 16, 24, 42) all looking after their own interests is not going to help the long term sustainability of the game.
Donegaltim says:
April 21, 2014 at 10:06 am
Alloa raise the points but Celtic are lurking. I sincerely hope not as I want them at the front driving that train as they are the club with power. It would look sneaky if they hid behind another club. Please say it ain’t so.
============================
Serious question. Can Celtic be seen to be fronting a move such as this? Scotland being Scotland, the whole thing could derail if that was the case. If there was a properly managed Rangers and they were fronting it the end result would be the same. It would not be a case of some people being unable to see the wood from the trees, they would just refuse to even look for the wood. So I guess someone like Mr Mulraney is a better front man.
Whilst I believe that just about every strand of the SFA’s board and administrative activities and behaviour need to be accountable, my biggest fear is that the SPFL ‘challenge’ is really about the tainted Ogilvie’s being given the push and replacing him on the SFA board with someone from a rather new club,……… easily done when there is no ‘qualifying’ period.
However, I’m probably too cynical, as the powers that be would never do such a thing, would they? After all, as we all know, only those ‘big’ clubs have good people with acumen available to run the game honestly and without fear or favour. It just wouldn’t do to have the likes of that pesky Turnbull Hutton and his ilk more to the fore!!!!
I am intrigued by this :” The SPFL would also like the clubs, and not the SFA, to have the veto on whether or not a club should have full SFA membership. ” (the online BBC report)
There is an implied absurdity in the idea that a part of an organisation (possibly not even the larger part) should have power to decide who is or is not to be a member of the organisation.
But if the SPFL got that power, the implications could be quite considerable, not least in allowing the possibility of the ‘wealthier’ clubs to ditch any number of struggling ‘uneconomic’ clubs by simply voting them out of membership of the SFA: a simple majority of the 42 clubs could theoretically bump any one of themselves.
It’s at times like this ( as ever!) that our football journalists let us down. They never seem to know enough to be able to explain these developments and tease out the real intentions and the practicalities that would be involved in turning intentions into reality.
Matty Roth says:
April 21, 2014 at 11:01 am
11
0
Rate This
Donegaltim says:
April 21, 2014 at 10:06 am
4 1 Rate This
……
Alloa raise the points but Celtic are lurking. I sincerely hope not as I want them at the front driving that train as they are the club with power. It would look sneaky if they hid behind another club. Please say it ain’t so.
===================================
I don’t think the points were raised by Mike Mulraney in his position as Alloa Chairman – he was acting as spokesperson for the SPFL.
If there is some consensus between Championship and Premiership clubs then it makes sense for one of the Championship clubs on the SPFL board to make the statement to the press rather than the SPFL be open to criticism it is only representing the gang of 12.
I think so far people are split quite evenly between whether this is a good or bad thing. Personally the bit quoted below is the one that got my attention:-
————————————-
Some people may find that the status quo is appropriate. I don’t and I my colleagues don’t.”
“We’re not looking to take over the SFA board but we think it is reasonable to have another member on it.
“We should be selecting the best people available to go on the board.
“The concept that you have to have served a four-year apprenticeship or more to become an office bearer is wrong.
“We feel it is reasonable of us to want to select the best candidate available and not those who have been longest serving, though of course the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.”
——————————————
The SFA needs to be reformed, by force if necessary.
As Jagsman and a few others have pointed out the governance of the SPL has been disgraceful at times, his example of clubs being relegated while other in administration remain in the top league, picking off their best players simply should not be allowed to occur.
However, they are most answerable to the clubs and by extension to the fans. If the SPFL won’t force reform on the SFA who do we think will?
But then if the SPFL increase their power, won’t we just see even more focus on commercialism over integrity?
We have a dilemma.
===================
Indeed we have if there is no inbuilt balancing mechanism that makes sure sporting integrity does not succumb to commercial interests.
As it stands neither SFA or SPFL come out well in the integrity stakes, but now is the chance to put that right.
I would have it written into the SFA’s role and purpose (when they get around to having another look at what that is) that their prime role is to protect the integrity of the game with a statement of how that will be done.
There is a lot more than just that needed but it is a start. What is coming out here is that the SPFL are fed up being run unprofessionally in business terms by the SFA who appear to have no sense of purpose nor regard for the effect of the poor service they offer to clubs in some respects (not all) on the commercial viability of those clubs.
A long way to go but at least the debate is public and instead of it being governed by the fear such changes might produce, lets look at the opportunities it provides to get things right.
Democracy in action. Next year’s vote to elect a new Chairman already decided. I’m not sure I trust the SPFL to act in the best interests of football as a whole, but something has to be done, for sure.
You can bet, also, John that the voting would be skewed, as it is in the league, so that a Premiership vote is worth considerably more than a Division 2 vote; let’s not even think about the juniors being members of the SFA as well. As you say, this could easily lead to the ejection of long standing members. As someone said earlier, what we really need is an all new orgainisation without any links to the current clubs and operating as a real governing body whilst providing certain services to the leagues.
On the matter of the mis-commissioning of the LNS Investigation, and whilst the SPFL ponder on their response via Harper Macleod, the following has gone to Lord Nimmo Smith and his colleagues on The Investigation.
It should let everyone know if there is a case to answer if Lord Nimmo Smith deems to answers the questions.
Dear Lord Nimmo Smith
In the attached file – 1 HarpMac Witheld Docs s – you will find details of documents that Rangers Administrators Duff and Phelps were either unsighted on or failed to supply to the SPL Lawyers Harper MacLeod, who wrote the commissioning terms of reference for The Investigation of the non registration by Rangers FC of side letters pertaining to ebts in respect of players contracts, on which you provided judgement.
In the second file TSFM HM Response Blog you will find after the introduction a letter to Harper MacLeod drawing their attention to the missing documents, their reply to that letter and a further response to it from The Scottish Football Monitor contributors. The response takes the form of detailed comment on the Harper MacLeod reply letter and a covering letter summarising the possible impact of the missing information on the commissioning of the Investigation and the impact of such on your judgement.
To be absolutely clear there is no argument that based on the evidence and testimony provided to you that your findings are legally sound, if not eye brow raising in the common understanding of the rules held by football supporters generally , however there is a strong argument that had the information in the missing documents been provided
a) the terms of reference of the commission would have had to take into account that the earliest ebts were indeed irregular and so directed you to investigate a different matter and under different rules broken, thus changing your findings.
b) had the information re the nature of the earlier ebts came out in the testimony offered by a key witness, then again your findings would have had to be different.
The matter is now back in the hands of Harper MacLeod and the SPFL, but you could quickly put the issue to bed if, on reading the attached documents, you could reply saying that neither a) or b) would have made any difference to your ruling had the information been provided before or during your investigation.
I have copied this e mail and attachments to your colleagues on The Investigation and will be bringing this letter to the wider attention of the TSFM readership.
TSFM
Auldheid says:
April 21, 2014 at 1:53 pm
=======================
Excellent stuff Auldheid. In your opinion how likely is it LNS will wish to enter into correspondence over this matter?
John Clark says:
r casual anti-Americanism..’
———-
And you’re right to do so, in light of your description of your experiences.
I should have added to my post that what I fear is what( I seem to remember) was the suggestion that a ‘game of two halves’ would be turned into a game of maybe 10 minutes of play,advertising break,ten minutes of play,advertising break, and so on. Like watching Superbowl on TV, would be the effect: an 80 minute game turned into a 4 hour marathon. ( If that is the way American football works?)
___________________________________
I can’t disagree with you there John. I wouldn’t mean to suggest that all is rosy or desirable in the world of North American sports (and I use North American as it includes both the U.S. and Canada). I too don’t like the extended game interruptions for adverts and time-outs etc and as a result rarely watch “football” or baseball on TV. Too much of a marathon instead of a sprint. Although I do like going to live Baseball as it is a good day out (usually) in the sun and a few beers and a hot dog and it’s a lot of fun. And some of those stadiums are superb, I’ve been to New Yankee Stadium and it’s like the Roman Coliseum of old :).
However I digress. I like NHL as it’s the closest in style to “soccer” and they have less of the breaks that the other games have and it’s fast and exciting.
Of course, despite the salary caps, and the draft system, there are richer and poorer teams like in the SPFL, but critically it’s pretty difficult to buy success in hockey. Somewhat easier in Baseball and “Football” although even the riches of the Yankees haven’t worked out that well for them in recent years.
I should probably extend this to a blog on the pros and cons of NHL versus SPFL. We could learn a lot about running a modern game from the NHL.
______________________________________
Give my regards to Sarnia, by the way, if you happen to find yourself passing through: I have a tiny flake of kettle stone from a visit to those parts ten years ago.
_____________________________________
Aaah Sarnia! This used to be a place we passed through while crossing the border to go to Detroit (much easier than Windsor) but we stopped in on a sunny afternoon last summer and I quite enjoyed it. The annual speedboat races were on and we had a fine day. And one of my favourite guitarists, Kim Mitchell hails from there.
reidy134 says:
Thanks Blindsummit63 – I’ve been trying to avoid the hockey scores until I catch up on my recorded games
__________________________________
Apologies Reidy. Given last night’s results you may not hear me post on hockey again during these Playoffs 😀 bet that’s got you intrigued.
Anyway, my feeling is the Sharks will win the Stanley Cup this year.
scottc says:
April 21, 2014 at 1:35 pm
——
The only time there was a proposal to vote out existing members was in the 1960s when Rangers wanted rid of the bottom 6 or so of the old Div 2. I believe Stranraer were one of those clubs and acted accordingly in their vote for Rangers to be demoted to Div 1 a year or 2 back.
Despite the past poor performance of the various guises of the SPL , there is a recognition almost everywhere that Scottish football needs to get its house in order , more so that Rangers committed suicide and seem intent on a repeat performance.
The new league are giving clubs a grace period to sort out the financial mess of the last decade or so and I believe that for leagues in Scotland a rigorous set of FFP rules will be put in place to ensure that serial offenders will be brought to book. The clubs need to self govern and ensure a viable financial model for all the leagues , so access to the SFA cash ( which we know will be passed round the brothers) will help everyone not just the Brothers …….. the ointment in the cream are the Govan based club …… a financial model and rules will need to be put in place to cover their default mode of SOPM ….. all the clubs bar one , are in favour of this.
I see no prospect or evidence that “uneconomic” clubs will be voted out the league , the exact opposite is happening with potential relegation / promotion of clubs for the newly formed Southern (c’mon EK) and Northern leagues, based on football merit. If you can pay your way in football terms then you are entitled to your place in the football hierarchy , unless for example , you have a temporary cash flows crisis and are binned off by the Chairmen of one of the big clubs, but hey that could never happen.
Change is good , embrace it, dump the brogues and blazers.
scottc says:
April 21, 2014 at 1:35 pm
============================
Perhaps I’m reading it wrongly but Keith Jackson appears to be suggesting only Celtic fans have an issue with Ogilvie because of his Ibrox connections. What utter nonsense. While there will no doubt be some Celtic fans who simply will not accept any ex-Rangers Director in power, the issue goes way beyond tribalism. A Rangers connection does not condemn a man to being untrustworthy and dishonest, but neither does it grant him immunity from scrutiny over his actions. Despite all that is known about the Ibrox EBT issues, and Ogilvie’s involvement, Keith Jackson saw fit to tweet this today.
There are still too many media people who will not countenance the thought of a traditional Rangers man being anything other than honest, dignified, and of high moral fibre. That is why people like Ogilvie, Gordon Smith, Paul Murray, and (incredibly) Dave King get such an easy ride and a free platform to peddle their views. While people like Keith Jackson exist in the media (and there are many), it will be very difficult to get an open, frank debate on Ogilvie’s true involvement and whether he is fit for purpose.
The only problem I see with the proposed changes is really only down to the attempt by the clubs to hijack the SFA’s role as guardians of the membership criteria.
The change being proposed just seems to substitute one body for another, when the issue is actually the rules in place, that allow whoever the deciding body is to ignore their own rules for whatever reason. It doesn’t really matter who the guardians are provided the rules are black and white and can be retroactively imposed subject to a review or inquiry should the body in charge fail for whatever reason to act in accordance with them.
Off topic I know but it seems David Moyes has been sacked by Man Utd.
I have said many times, that if Campbell were the great administrator his supporters tell me that he is he would have known that his perceived conflicted position, whether that perception was justified or not, was untenable and walked. That he didn’t tells me all I feel I need to know.
How many journalists are responsible for thumbs down on here? Just wondering.
Re: the SPFL / SFA story.
===================
As ever, why is this story kicking off now ? Is there another agenda ?
Immediate observation of MSM reports so far: no mention whatsoever of the fans, a.k.a. the paying customer !
There could very well be a consensus amongst SPFL member clubs – but has anyone canvassed the opinions or suggestion of the fans ?
We know that perhaps a majority of fans would have fairly strong views about the future of the SFA in particular.
…but if they’re still not interested in what the fans think, then what will improve ? 🙁
Not sure if this has been highlighted previously.
http://www.spreaker.com/user/homebhoys/beyond-the-waves-19-april-2014
At about 68mins, he says that Doncaster Regan had a rewrite of the SKY agreement, after CW told him RFC were going bust in September 2011, to include the requirement for A rangers to be in the top flight of the SPL for SKY to pay the money.
70 mins Interesting comments on this podcast from Paul Larkin. He appears to be suggesting that Ralph Topping said to Neil Doncaster that the SPL must appeal the LNS decision and that Doncaster said no appeal was to take place. Paul says it more than once.
Blindsummit63 says:
April 21, 2014 at 2:05 pm
1 1 Rate This
John Clark … casual anti-Americanism.
——–
I am quite sympathetic to John C’s ‘anti-Americanism’, which, incidentally, I thought was nothing of the kind.
Since Lennon has been deemed off topic (hallelujah for that) what about Lenin? ‘Fascism is capitalism in decay.’ Why on earth the civilized world is still following post-democratic America on anything from sport to politics is beyond me.
Once they shot their enlightened leaders in the ’60s and then used character assassination on the others, it lost its soul.
America is more bankrupt than the SFA, the only thing that keeps it going are its decent citizens. Not unlike Scottish football.
John mentioned in jest the other day ‘something rotten in the state of Denmark’. Truth is, there is plenty here that could be better. Though in the grand scheme of things it’s probably better off than the average. The only Fox News on daily telly is actually about foxes.
A bit more Lenin (not Neil): ‘Freedom in capitalist society always remains … freedom for slave owners.’
Why should Scottish football adopt the inane capitalism that sponsors US sports? No thanks. The EPL has already, in many respects, gone down that road. And look at it, a caricature of true sport thanks to the obscene money involved — and almost every club running huge debts. Meanwhile Sky runs constant ads for betting companies and legalized loan-sharks every other break.
Give me lower-league fitba and amateurism any day. Call me an old curmudgeon or dinosaur, but following the fortunes of Dennistoun Amateurs from afar and watching my local team along with about 100 other souls is more fun than finding out how much Rooney gets in his sky rocket every week or seeing how many new tattoos are on show in the professional game.
Up the workers, etc.