As we all know, this site emerged from the ashes of RTC. The wish of the original administrator of the site, one which I wholeheartedly share, was to keep together the wonderful community RTC had built, in terms of both personnel and spirit. There are still many individuals around who were also part of RTC, and regrettably many who are no longer with us. The RTC spirit however, that of a cross-party football site where issues can be discussed in a respectful and insightful manner remains. The “wisdom of the crowd” phenomenon is also with us to perhaps an even greater extent than before, and consequently SFM’s credentials as a formidable alternative to the print media have grown.
In recent times, many contributors have expressed frustration that we are pretty much a talking shop and little else; characterised as “a lot of gum bashing and no teeth”. I think that is fair comment up to a point, but then again our aim – up to now – has been to simply present an alternative view – a view that has increasingly become the fan view as opposed to the industry view (the industry being made up of club officials, players, and press).
In fact the way I see it personally, SFM has evolved to a point where it has become the watchdog (monitor if you will) of an industry which is subject to very little oversight. The Rangers situation will eventually be done with (no laughing at the back please), and like everything else will be consigned to history (albeit more than one). The same self-interest and lack of regard for sporting integrity though will still remain, and the need for oversight will remain also.
Having arrived at those conclusions, we have two alternatives; the first is to remain as we are (which is not a bad place to be), and the second is that SFM has to expand its role.
In recent weeks, the mods have met to discuss this, and we think that we ought to give the latter option a try. As to how we want to achieve that, and we have come up with a skeleton plan as follows;
1. We need to move into the area of gathering news content as well as commenting on what appears elsewhere;
2. We should act as a cross-club portal to get good fan site content from all clubs to a wider audience;
3. We need to highlight the positives in the game as well as the negatives;
4. We should become an actively campaigning body, aligning with fan groups to lobby for the changes we think important.
In order to achieve these objectives, more time will need to be spent on communication like podcasts, adding news content, expanding membership and building links with other fan groups. Time will also need to be spent setting up features, attending press conferences etc. Later in the year, one of the mods will have much more time on his hands to help achieve this.
Podcasts, premium content, labour, organisation and all of the above costs money, and ultimately a subscription based model backed by sponsorship seems to be our best way of achieving that. In order to give us a head start, we will in the next few months be putting together a business-plan and a pitch for Crowd Funding investment.
This is not to say that our existing model has been a failure. We have successfully managed to keep ourselves afloat through the ad-hoc generosity of people in our community, although the inability to keep the podcasts going has been a bit frustrating. Finding income streams which are more solid will allow us to respond to events more quickly (for example mounting an ad campaign to respond to some event or other, or buying new equipment), and hopefully achieve all of our objectives – and build a bigger audience base for our message.
Of course a move of this nature will require that, in the interests of transparency, anonymity of SFM will have to be set aside. That will not affect any of our contributors, and our practice of using (sometimes) imaginative names on the blog will remain. However, for crowd funding to be successful, we will require to have a board in place, and there is no hiding place from Companies House. The make up of the board is also crucial, and in addition to consideration of blog members for that role, we will be looking to have respected people from without.
I imagine there may be a consequent subtle effect on moderation policy to take into account.
The reason I have made this post is to keep the community up to speed with events. Although we have decided to move forward to see if we can get support for our business plan, that plan is by no means finished. As I said earlier, the “wisdom of crowds” has made our community unique and given it its credibility. There’s a lot more wisdom out there we hope to tap into before we go ahead with our initiative.
We already had someone in mind for chairman of the new board, but events have conspired tragically to rob us of that – and had the effect of postponing this announcement. However we would like to hear suggestions for suitable outside candidates for board and committee places.
We also want to hear from you if you have a suggestion to be added to our wish list of SFM function above – or even if you think it is a mistake to embark on this course.
This is a very big move for SFM, so we don’t want to rush into anything. We need to listen to what you folks have to say, because if the merging SFM is not considered a better SFM by our community there is very little point in looking to fund it.
mcfc says:
Member: (1275 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 11:44 am
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mcfc,there was an ‘exclusion’ section between the Motherwell fans and Rangers fans. I’ve no idea whether that would account for the 1,747 you refer to.
Setting aside the WATP outlook of a significant number of those fans for the moment (as SFA/SPFL/SMSM seem happy to do), it’s a huge crowd for a club that’s been through the tortuous events of the last three years. The fact that people will turn out despite the pillaging of the club also partly explains why the managerialists at the SPFL are desperate for them to reach the top league and often appear to be willing to forego the fundamental precepts of fair competition to achieve that aim. Those numbers count for TV deals and sponsorship, that’s what counts. What price sporting integrity?
mcfc, my take on the rangersnoise post re. McCoist is much the same as yours. What I was grumping at is the continuing habit of posting such from other sites in a pointing and laughing kind of way. We’re at a juncture in the life of SFM where those driving it are looking to up the game and relevance of it. For me posting comment from a club’s fan site, without the kind contextualising you provided, doesn’t have a place – go to the sites and laugh or debate or mock your rivals on your own site. Incredibleadamspark covered it better than me:
blu says:
Member: (171 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Those numbers count for TV deals and sponsorship, that’s what counts. What price sporting integrity?
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I agree with your view on the SFA/SPFL/MSM. But no sharp TV exec will be fooled by 49k in the play-off final at a fiver and then expect that kind of gate/audience at full price in the likely event of The Rangers being mid/low premier league table.
Too many at Ibrox, Hampden and MSM think they can pull the wool by pretending it is business as usual and the product is the same as it used to be – but it’s so obviously not – so they just look more and more ridiculous trying and lying – and fool no one. The “everyone needs Rangers” line is so misjudged it is pissing in the wind. The five quid wheeze – was just that – a sleight of hand that didn’t quite come off. Whether, The Rangers get promoted or not – until their cheerleaders start respecting the intelligence of others and play the game like others, they will continue to flounder – and let’s not forget – that’s how they floundered so spectacularly in the first place.
blu says:
Member: (172 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 12:29 pm
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fair point
There’s a Latin phrase for ‘irretrievable time flees’ – now there’s a video….
https://vine.co/v/ebDi3F2TJT9
How many holes can you shoot yourself in the same foot,if last nights game was to be a show boat to sell season tickets for next season it ended up a reminder to all the fans as to the reason they stopped turning up,a poor overcharged for product,end of.
mcfc, I’d like to think you’re right but there’s an almighty determination not to play by the rules. There’s also an ongoing widespread romantic/delusional/realistic (tick as you see appropriate) notion that Celtic v Rangers X 4 = much more money.I wouldn’t be surprised if that applied to TV sports commissioners. Stevensanph has done work previously which went some way to rebut Regan’s belief in Armageddon, and in the last year further progress seems to have been made by a number of clubs on the finance front. All points to Rangers being the biggest loser and, as you say, no sign of changing the business model there.
It’s no secret here on TSFM that the MSSM are not exactly the most diligent of their trade when it comes to checking facts.
I’ve often wondered, exactly how do these breathless puff pieces make it on to paper? What checks are in place to make sure this isn’t just some brainless pap pushed out by a vested interest.
I came across some answers to these questions in a non-football related article about a journalistic sting operation in the diet industry. Some of the breathtakingly inadequate “journalism” mentioned really does beggar belief.
For example:
And:
The whole sorry episode lays bare the complete lack of any sort of integrity in the rush to get some copy to fill the space. The more it speaks to your readers desire to believe complete guff with absolutely zero evidence to back it up – the better.
I imagine the MSSM work in a similar fashion. It’s really just an exercise in the shovelling crap onto our pages and who cares if there is zero truth to it.
Link below to the full piece. It’s a longish read but well worth it.
http://io9.com/i-fooled-millions-into-thinking-chocolate-helps-weight-1707251800
blu says:
Member: (173 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 1:00 pm
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Quite agree – to any objective observer The Rangers have not yet taken the first step on their journey to a sensibly run football club business.
All they’ve done is keep turning up the defibrillator and hope that more is better. Sooner or later they will have to realise it is not.
We can all write a list of what it would take to reboot The Rangers as a genuine rival to Celtic – and estimate how quickly it could be done – sutainably. But so many of the basic elements are illusory that any such “plan” remains a complete non-starter. Meanwhile, the cheerleaders need to keep taking the drugs and telling each other everything will be OK – because the logical terminus is just too awful to contemplate.
“Some dance to remember, some dance to forget”, The Eagles
mcfc says:
Quite agree – to any objective observer The Rangers have not yet taken the first step on their journey to a sensibly run football club business.
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And this is coming from a Manchester City supporter!!!!
blu says:
May 29, 2015 at 12:29 pm
“For me posting comment from a club’s fan site, without the kind contextualising you provided, doesn’t have a place”
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Blu,
I must commend you for your patience and decorum. The measured commentary you provide is the sort of thing that will change minds; over time.
Where I think you are up against it concerns the widely perceived media bias that seeks to put a positive spin on Rangers and just as importantly, a negative spin on their opponents situation. Rangers dominance within the Scottish footballing psyche doesn’t need further rehearsing; everyone will have their own take on it. However the recent appreciation of this underlying narrative does leave a bad taste in the mouth of many. In some ways Rangers have become a stalking horse for all manner of societal ills.
Media bias and preformed agenda are becoming ever more recognisable as people feel entitled to question what is presented in the media as ‘facts’. The power of this implied bias to affect and distort public sentiment is now widely recognised to be diliterious. However when an individual takes issue with a prevailing attitude they are most likely to voice their discontent against someone in their own neighbourhood even if the angst they wish to exhaust has deeper and wide ranging roots.
So Rangers get pilloried because they’re conveniently to hand.
I personally have reason to have sympathy with such an outlook as the blog displays but from an ethical perspective I find I need to step away from a narrative that can become too finely focussed and which is in danger of discarding the very benefits of self reflection that gives rise to much of the interesting and entertaining comment.
These perceived bias were not concocted one dark evening when there was nothing on the telly; they have grown up over time and perhaps become institutionalised by dint of the fact that institutions are inhabited by people. Therefore turning round the supertanker and setting it on a different course is not an instantaneous operation. Not that I believe you are so naive to think this would be the case, as your perseverance amply displays.
However your contributions and those of others like you might provide a wee clearing in the forest where like minds can congregate and be seen as a valuable part of the blog landscape and influence the narrative by the mere fact of your existence.
As Barcabhoy above echoes my own thoughts, corruption has become endemic in our society. No one individual can hope to change this mind set. However it only takes a few good men to challenge prevailing attitudes and I believe humanity will give ground to humanity and provide a communal living space where everyone can feel satisfied in their own self merit.
The blogs history in some ways anchors it and in other ways shackles it. We cannot discard our own history. It is who we are. Attitudes will moderate and change in the face of rational debate. We are all entitled to our opinions; opinions is all they really are since the search for universal truth is still underway.
Highland_Bhoy says:
Member: (18 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 1:45 pm
mcfc says:
Quite agree – to any objective observer The Rangers have not yet taken the first step on their journey to a sensibly run football club business.
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And this is coming from a Manchester City supporter!!!!
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My, my, you’re very protective of Scotland’s newest club for a Highland Bhoy 😈
Highland_Bhoy says:
Member: (18 comments)
Ouch. They do operate in a league awash with money and are owned by a genuine on billionaire though.
My, my.. you’re very protective of Scotland’s newest club for a Highland Bhoy
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Actually no, I was, I thought, defending Scottish football from blatant hypocrisy … I thought you would recognize that as surely that is one of the aims of this site – to be neutral – or perhaps you guys have a long way to go on your journey.
Highland_Bhoy says:
Member: (19 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 1:45 pm
And this is coming from a Manchester City supporter!!!!
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Well – the books balalnce – as long as the oil keeps pumping and the whole world wants to pay to watch EPL. That’s a damned sight more sustainable than The Rangers’ “model” 🙂
But more importantly – City fans have been through the mill – kept the faith during the hard times – and smilled all the way – “we’re not really here” – and we know exactly where we are and where we came from – and we know where we might go back to if things change – but we’ll enjoy the ride while it lasts – and from my experience we’re generally pretty welcome as such at other clubs – apart from the obvious stick both ways – and respectful of our visitors – quite a difference in approach – I’m sure you’ll agree.
Highland_Bhoy says:
Member: (19 comments)
——————————————————–
Actually no, I was, I thought, defending Scottish football from blatant hypocrisy … I thought you would recognize that as surely that is one of the aims of this site – to be neutral – or perhaps you guys have a long way to go on your journey.
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I just wondered what part of Rangers have yet to take the first step on the road to being run sensibly you disagreed with?
But it seems you would rather deflect than address the issue at the core of Rangers’ problems. A recurring theme among its support that keeps the club perpetually mired in difficulties and up to their eyes in crisis loans
Highland_Bhoy says:
Member: (19 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 1:45 pm
And this is coming from a Manchester City supporter!!!!
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And just one more thing 🙂
When rich investors trawl the world for big clubs to buy and build up – why do they choose Chelsea, City, PSG, Cardiff and now Villa – but not the biggest, winningest club in the whole wide world? What’s wrong with these real billionaires? What is it they don’t get?
Maybe it’s the “Yanks, No Thanks” attitude they gave to Bill Miller and that they exude so strongly without even realising it. Some people are their own worst enemies.
Qatar are only coming to ask how much Dave wants though.
pau1mart1n says:
Member: (75 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Wouldn’t it be classic if the SFO asked Police Scotland to arrest Qatar’s corrupt with Scotland’s own looking on?
mcfc says:
Member: (1282 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 2:49 pm
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Getting a wee bit defensive, mcfc. Man City actually has a few things in common with recent events in Scottish football. It could be argued the club benefited from ‘state aid’ when they got a shiny new stadium at a fraction of what it would have cost to build their own and am I right in thinking the rental terms were very much in their favour too with a portion of income paid to the council depending on attendances? I think the council still owns the stadium and City recently had to pay them around £2m per year so they could rename it. This was part of a deal that was worth over £30m per year to Man City. Another good deal for them, less so for the council tax payers of Manchester.
Also I’m not too sure if the books do balance. Yet. They might have done if they didn’t get a massive fine from UEFA for breaking their FFP rules and according to the excellent Swiss Ramble website City have lost £628m since 2006. The owners are far from the worst and it does look like they have a long term plan and the massive new TV deal instantly puts all 20 EPL clubs amongst the 30 wealthiest in the world. Those numbers are mind boggling and in the next few years we’ll probably see most of the big name players head to England with perhaps only Barcalona and Real Madrid unafected.
I do wonder how long all this will last and what state the game will be left in if there is a crash. I know one thing for sure: if the worst does happen the wealthy owners will disappear and it’ll be the fans who are left to pick up the pieces.
http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/manchester-city-roll-with-it.html
pau1mart1n says:
Member: (75 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Qatar are only coming to ask how much Dave wants though.
===========================
Ahhh, it all makes sense now !
The SFA finding a sugar daddy for their club under the guise of a friendly match: genius. 😉
mcfc says:
Member: (1282 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 3:26 pm
pau1mart1n says:
Member: (75 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Wouldn’t it be classic if the SFO asked Police Scotland to arrest Qatar’s corrupt with Scotland’s own looking on?
==========================
I’m guessing that the Qatari FA blazers will not be getting on the plane, and staying safely out of reach at home, just in case.
incredibleadamspark says:
Member: (56 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 4:02 pm
Nothing wrong with a bit of “defensive” when you’re called a hypocrite for pointing out the bleeding obvious about the Ibrox uber-shambles – and your club is compared to a culture that you wouldn’t curse your worst enemy with.
I’m not sure where you’re going with the Etihad thing – all the numbers are a matter of public record and I don’t see anyone getting too excited – I’m sure Utd would have a dig if they felt disadvantaged.
As far as the EPL numbers go – well yes they are big – and you need to spend big to compete – within the football rules and the laws of the land – beyond that it is highly competitive and demands a speculate to accumulate mentality. I’m not convinced by the “it can’t last” doom and gloom. They said that about railways, TV and the internet.
Would it be different if Spain was the biggest league – or Germany – well it happens to be England. The English FA and Premiership have done an exceptional job building the biggest football brand in the world and everyone wants a part of it. The fans get to pay through the nose for tickets – but then we do get to see many of the best players in the world. Pound for pound I’d say that’s not a bad deal – and it’s not compulsory.
The question is, if England can be the biggest league of the 50-100 million countries – why can’t Scotland be the biggest league of the 5-10 million countries?
mcfc says:
Member: (1283 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 4:34 pm
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Your club and Rangers were only being compared when you mentioned their ‘journey towards a sensibly run football business’ and nothing else. Regarding the Etihad naming rights and stadium deal, whether a matter of public record or whether your rivals commented on it, is neither here nor there. My dig was tounge in cheek but there is no doubt Man City got a very sweet deal from the council over that one. Unless you thing otherwise?
Also ‘spending big to compete’ (whilst losing the best part of £700m) is something Dave King might come out with and City have not always done it ‘within the football rules’ as they were fined a conditional £49m for a breach of the FFP rules and had restrictions placed on the number of players in their CL squad.
It make no difference to me what nation has the biggest league and I’m not too sure what you were suggesting there. I want the Scottish league to be properly run for the benefit of the fans and see no relevance in being, as you suggest, the biggest league amongst the smaller nations.
The writings of Leopold Kohr have become fashionable again since the economic crisis. He coined the phrase ‘small is beautiful’, spoke out against the ‘cult of bigness’ and suggested that whenever something is wrong it’s because it is too big. That about sums it up for me.
incredibleadamspark says:
Member: (57 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 5:19 pm
Just a win-win – Maine Rd was way past it’s best – council could build a good stadium for the CW games without being left with a white elephant – long term development of a run down area – City spent a lot converting – good business and planning all round.
Over spending against new FFP rules with no precedent of enforcement levels – testing the limits – and far from alone – conditional fine – still ten cases being challenged – and rule roll-out being adjusted – can’t get too excited.
I don’t know any business people or sports people who aim for smaller.
Scottish football’s leaders lack ambition and under-perform by being too concerned with parochial issues.
Anyone know when the Fifa result is due
yourhavingalaugh says:
Member: (264 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 5:53 pm
Yes.
Owen Coyle’s Granny says its just went to a second count…..
So Blatter didn’t get two thirds – 133 vs 73 (3 abstentions) – but can’t see him losing the second simple majority vote – though hoping.
Blatter just won another 4 inglorious years coming.
Re: FIFFA can’t help thinking the massive exposure by the msm is America and British money men pissed off they cant get their noses in the trough.the brown envelopes really need to go their way or else you demonise the incumbents.regards TFM being a main player for football open media I would love it to work but stop talking about The Rangers for a month and I think you will get the answer it won’t last.
The US / Swiss arrests probably came too close to the vote to have a big impact – don’t suppose it was the prosecutors’ concern to influence the vote. I wouldn’t be the least surprised if Blatter had his collar felt soon – apparently he’s been avoiding visits to the US for a few years already – he may be a crook – but he hasn’t lasted this long by being a stupid crook.
theredpill says:
Member: (23 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 6:39 pm
…TFM being a main player for football open media I would love it to work but stop talking about The Rangers for a month and I think you will get the answer it won’t last.
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I agree that it will be refreshing when TRFC is no longer a main focus of SFM.
However, whether you are a TRFC fan or not, IMO everyone should be in agreement that the quality of the sports SMSM is just mince.
Now that many fans have had their eyes opened over the last 3 years – myself included – there is a recognised gap in the market which SFM could plug: quality discussion / debate / reporting on ALL Scottish football, both positive and negative.
And where SFM is ahead of the game currently, IMO, is that it has already established a decent online presence with no marketing whatsoever. There is an opportunity to develop further.
Time will tell of course.
And I think for many Bampots it stopped being all about TRFC a good while ago: it’s the SFA in particular that is the main target now, IMO.
mcfc says:
Member: (1286 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 5:52 pm
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So we’re in agreement: City got a good deal with the stadium and were fined for breaking FFP rules. It’s encouraging to me that you acknowledge the fact your club did not spend ‘within the rules of football’ as fans of other clubs have a propensity to blame anyone but their own club when caught breaking rules.
You misunderstand my point about small. Small doesn’t mean smaller, far from it, but might I suggest that the business and football people running your club aim for smaller losses? In this scenario a smaller loss will lead to a bigger profit and longer term stability. Then again maybe the oil will never run out. Sustainability is a mugs game.
incredibleadamsparkincredibleadamspark says:
Member: (58 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 7:31 pm
mcfc says:
Member: (1286 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 5:52 pm
____________________________________________________________________
So we’re in agreement: City got a good deal with the stadium and were fined for breaking FFP rules. It’s encouraging to me that you acknowledge the fact your club did not spend ‘within the rules of football’ as fans of other clubs have a propensity to blame anyone but their own club when caught breaking rules.
————
Are you a barrister ? 🙂 Am I under oath ? 🙂
Intelligent planning and shrewd business means everyone can get a good deal within the law – and no one hurt – is that an alien concept?
Yes, the fine is a matter of record and under challenge. We also get some yellow cards and the occasional red – usually carefully judged by Zabaleta – all broke the rules of football.
It’s not unusual for big companies to make a loss during periods of investment, consolidation and intense competition in mature highly capitalised markets. From what I know it is professionally managed – tactically and strategically – I have confidence in the current owner and management – and have plenty to compare with in the past – some very dodgy – some well meaning but not on the ball.
Any comparison with you know who iis Neil Patey level analysis.
Is it the big ‘company’ or the big ‘club’ that is making the loss? 😉
incredibleadamsparkincredibleadamspark says:
Member: (59 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 8:02 pm
Is it the big ‘company’ or the big ‘club’ that is making the loss? ?
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Now – now – we’ve never had to consider such complexities 🙂
Wee statement fae Stewart Regan post Sepp vote:
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1961&newsCategoryID=3&newsID=14850
Interesting last two words from the latest McMurdo blog:
“…Forget Helicopter Sunday. Sunday’s match will be Do Or Die Day.
Given what is at stake, that may be literally for The Rangers.”
https://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/do-or-die-day/
I’ve been wondering for a while if the time was approaching when the ‘true blues’ were going to feel the new club just isn’t good enough to be considered ‘Rangers FC’! Perhaps it would be easier to lose something you’ve only tried to convince yourself was dear to you, rather than to lose a loved one twice!
Unless this is a complete slip of the proverbial pen by McMurdo, could this be his first steps of separation?
Danish Pastry says:
Blog Writer: (1194 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 8:33 pm
Wee statement fae Stewart Regan post Sepp vote:
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1961&newsCategoryID=3&newsID=14850
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Why must we wait for guidance to follow than take a leadership stance?
Forget the immediate short term money. Lead – by resigning from FIFA; kudos (and money) galore will follow and we, unbelievably following events over the past three years, could appear to be taking the moral high ground. ( only here in Scotland would we laugh at our Executive suddenly finding moral fibre.)
However, to do so would still be such a pleasant surprise.
Danish Pastry says:
Blog Writer: (1194 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 8:33 pm
Wee statement fae Stewart Regan post Sepp vote:
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1961&newsCategoryID=3&newsID=14850
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Ogilvie and Blatter.
Two peas in a pod and Regan is really struggling to tell his peas from his beans.
There’s none so blind as those who will not see.
#Rangers may not be in the #ScottishCup but here are 6 of their best finals #ScottishCupFinal http://t.co/TWQh6OT4NA http://t.co/h7KH5jtSTI
Celtic may not be in the #ScottishCup but here are six of their best finals #ScottishCupFinal http://t.co/bYvVUpq2wG http://t.co/Y4gSqzfoJW
Six great non-Old Firm cup finals #ScottishCupFinal #ScottishCup http://t.co/Es1bogaWuf http://t.co/8RMvpWCJn2
The Herald on Twitter tonight 🙁
The Cat NR1 says:
Member: (401 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 10:08 pm
Danish Pastry says:
Blog Writer: (1194 comments)
May 29, 2015 at 8:33 pm
Wee statement fae Stewart Regan post Sepp vote:
http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1961&newsCategoryID=3&newsID=14850
=================================================================
Ogilvie and Blatter.
Two peas in a pod and Regan is really struggling to tell his peas from his beans.
There’s none so blind as those who will not see.
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Regardless of its sins in Scottish domestic football, surely the SFA condemning the new President of FIFA is a good thing? No?
Well you have to admit that Blatter is a wily old fox, with the brassiest of brass necks !
And I bet he is already working the phones to buy the support of smaller UEFA nations, to divide and conquer the Euro opposition.
And if you had voted for Blatter today?
Your FA would be on the phone to him ASAP, looking for urgent FIFA ‘support’, i.e. cash, for some other projects.
As long as FIFA has a cash pile, and Blatter is in charge…he’s going nowhere, despite Platini’s protestations.
IMO, the only way Blatter will vacate his fiefdom is if he too is criminally charged. But he might even avoid that. 😥
BBC 5 Live World Football Phone-in discussion of FIFA Presidential Election result.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/wf
Injured Jon Daly’s contract was not renewed after yesterday’s payday. I don’t think it is unreasonable to assume the other out of contract players carry a similar termination date, and have been provided an incentive to extend for the Motherwell clash. Not because of any SFA fears of improper registration, God no!, but more from the angle of personal enticement.
It got me wondering what form it would take. A one off cash payment, thus enforcing in the players minds that they will soon be following Daly on the hunt for a club trail, or maybe a mini “pre contract”, Help get us up, and there is another year in it for you. Possibly a mix of both.
Conversely, that had me reasoning, that for at least some of the players, they may take the view that staying in the Championship offers them more hope of a contract extension, on realising the brutal truth that they are not Premier level players.
I suspect player’s agents have played as much (if not more) of a part of the “match preparations” for this game as the training ground.
Are Blatter and Ogilvie related in any way? Where there’s brass there is these 2. Where there’s brass; that reminds me of big hands.
If Blatter held a senior position in the SFA he would be unimpeachable. Yes?
Regarding Mr McMurdo and The Rangers in my experience when adherents talk about The Rangers or The Celtic it is a reference to the Platonic ideal type of all things Rangers or Celtic and are in the realms of the mystic. This is portentous stuff it is talk about the the death not only of the The Rangers but of The The Rangers to get to that stage is a decent step towards the idea of Rangers of Glasgow.
MCFC, something is lost when a club converts from eternal hope to regular achievement. The Falkirk or Inverness or any of the other winners in the last several years are more attractive narratives to me than those of Chelsea and similar examples affection might be replaced with respect or support by mere customer status.
Check out reference to TRFC half way through.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/05/29/its-not-corruption-that-keeps-fifas-sepp-blatter-in-power-its-history/?postshare=4311432958792405
Good luck to both teams today
Occam
How dare he,how absolutely dare he,I would hope he will follow up on this paragraph to explain where this information about a Scottish institution and one of its Directors was obtained.
occam says:
May 30, 2015 at 11:39 am
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/05/29/its-not-corruption-that-keeps-fifas-sepp-blatter-in-power-its-history/?postshare=4311432958792405
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Excellent article, and to my mind it highlights the essential difference between Blatter and Ogilvie.
Blatter got to a position of overweening influence over the game through engagement with nations who had been unfairly neglected by the traditionally powerful countries, and levered that to become his power base. He took advantage of a historical wrong.
Ogilvie, on the other hand, represents those in society who traditionally held power, and at times disgracefully abused it in order to maintain their advantages. He is, at the very least, a symbol of that, and at worst a continuation of a historical wrong.
Neither position, in my opinion, is healthy or appropriate for the game.
Wow! The Washington Post makes a casual reference to part of the great Scottish football scandal that the SMSM feigns to ignore. Let’s see if any of the craven, monosyllabic scribblers who steal a living from a once-proud profession have the gumption or moral fortitude to ask the axis of corruption — Ogilvie, Regan and Doncaster — for a comment!
It would appear that a lump of the brown stuff has finally been squeezed out from under the tartan carpet. Not before time.
Tartanwulver
It’s the people that voted CO into the position that require closer scrutiny,they are the ones responsible for where we are with Scottish Football if they can tell us how the game has went forward under CO terms of office then fine,and if they can’t ,they should not hold the positions they are in,right who’s first to explain.
Patrick Smith in ‘The Australian’ newspaper on 29 May on the FIFA story , has these two paragraphs at the end of his piece
“….FIFA has 209 member associations who have had decades of exposure on how to navigate the treacherous dynamivc of the ruling body’s politics and business methods.FIFA members know only one way to operate.
And here is the most depressing factor in hoping for FIFA’s reform. It cannot do it by itself.The members have proven they do nòt have the will or the way”
Can we say that the members ( or at least the 41
genuine true-born clubs in the senior game) of the
SFA have shown any will to tackle the much more
serious than match-fixing crime that the 5-way
agreement represents? A crime more immediately
related to the integrity of the game itself than to
mere commercial corruption in the matter of
building contracts and advertising revenue and
stuff of that kind.
The SFA’s crime is in its nature much, much more
destructive of the sport than the alleged corruption
of FIFA in awarding the hosting of the World Cup or the rights to TV etc etc, bad and all as that may be.
Because what the SFA did was to lie and cheat to
us all in a matter that relates to the very essence of Sport- fair and genuine competition, with rewards
and penalties determined in accordance with
accepted rules: rules to be applied uniformly and
fairly in every competitive match.
In their frantic desire to accommodate a failed
club, it is believed that the SFA was, first ,negligent in its duties by turning a blind eye to irregularities
in that club’s statements about the remuneration of its players, second, deceitful to UEFA about that
club’s situation vis-a-vis social taxes, and, third,
deceitful to all and sundry in the matter of the 5-way agreement.
The SFA continues to try to maintain a fiction, just as does the SMSM, as well, of course, as do RIFC/TRFC/ Sevco 5088/Sevco Scotland.
In line with Stevie BC’s earlier post, I agree that the SFA are the main target, for their deeds are as black as the Earl of Hell’s waistcoat.
But for as long as the new club fictionalises its history and refuses to accept the plain, simple truth, it cannot reasonably expect the rest of Scottish football to be particularly sympathetic.
No one likes to be taken for a mug.
No one ( by and large) wants to be vindictive.
But the restoration of truth and justice is a prerequisite of forgiveness and acceptance.
Let’s hope that that restoration comes about.
http://www.thefootballlife.co.uk/post/120260896261/future-proofing-football-broadcasting-for-a
On the future of football broadcasting in general
I urge everyone to contact the SFA demanding that action (In a court of law if need be)be taken against the Washington Post with regards its article. To directly compare the FIFA corruption scandal to corruption in Scottish football is a libellous slur. The reputation of Scottish football must be defended by it’s President at all times.
Corruption in Scottish football is now being openly discussed outside our borders and it must be challenged by the SFA. It is not just in the minds of “the obsessed” anymore.
Re:the Washington Post article. It’s encouraging to see that there is an awareness outside of the SMSM of the reality. I’m guessing Keef & co will be busy looking the other way as per, whilst waiting for their next copy/paste instruction. :slamb:
As anecdotal evidence of the 500 million global TRFC support, [(c) Charlie], and that tomorrow’s game is the biggest in Scotland ‘for decades’, [(c) a TRFC blogger]…I can’t find a bar here which will be showing the game – not even in any of the specialist ‘soccer themed’ bars. 😯
And as we all know, an early soft penalty and/or early Motherwell sending off will change the whole complexion of the game, and give TRFC players a huge psychological uplift. Hope the ref has a competent game…for the good of the majority of Scottish football fans…as opposed to for the good of the SFA/SPFL and TRFC.
Torquemada says:
Member: (55 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 12:30 pm
John Clark says:
Member: (874 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 1:22 pm
_________________________________________________________________________
I’m confident I’ll be in the minority on this but I can’t get too worked up over Campbell Ogilvie and think sometimes we overstate his influence within the SFA and Scottish football in general. I know about his involvement in the EBTs and the conflicted nature of his position regarding their investigations and maybe the five way agreement but I don’t have enough information about that one.
As SFA president Ogilvie sits on their main board and according to their website this focuses on matters of strategy and top-line decision making. There are six other people on this board. He is also a member of Professional game board that has another nine members with Rod Petrie as chairman and a member of the Non-professional game board that has eleven members with Alan McRae as the chairman of that one.
Stuart Regan, Rod Petrie, Alan McRae and Ogilvie sit on all three boards too so I wonder how much importance and influence he actually has. What decisions has he been responsible for that are so corrupt that he merits any comparison with Blatter and FIFA?
This is a truly global corruption spanning decades, involving £100m’s at an organization that has recently, to pick just one example from many, stood by as construction workers, mostly exploited migrants working and living in appalling conditions, lost their lives building stadiums and infrastructure for a world cup held in a country with a shameful human rights record.
So I can’t accept that ‘the SFA’s crime is in its nature much, much more
destructive of the sport than the alleged corruption of FIFA’ and aggrieved as we are about events of the last few years let’s keep the issues of Scottish football in perspective.
incredibleadamspark says:
Member: (60 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 2:29 pm
So I can’t accept that ‘the SFA’s crime is in its nature much, much more
destructive of the sport than the alleged corruption of FIFA’ and aggrieved as we are about events of the last few years let’s keep the issues of Scottish football in perspective.
==============================================
The apologists for the SFA always tell us what they tried to implement three years ago was simply ‘for the good of the game’. Personally I can’t see how rewarding a club guilty of horrendous mismanagement and deliberate tax evasion with a place directly in the top league can ever be good for the game. It can’t be good for the game in this or any other country. As long as those guilty of trying to force it through remain in power the void between many fans and the authorities must be as bad as anything in the world, if not the worst altogether. I simply don’t trust a single thing Regan, Ogilvie or Doncaster say, or their motives. All three of them need to go if we are ever to rebuild any level of trust. We will never move on with men in power who were so willing to consign sporting integrity to history. Who knows what else they would be willing to do?
Re the WP article and subsequent comments. It’s the few TDs that interest me – do they disagree with the content of the article or the fact that we have the temerity to highlight the fact that there is international recognition of wrongdoing at the SFA?
The WP does have history when it comes to revelations which some would rather keep hidden – as a certain R. Nixon might testify (why does ‘g & s’ spring to mind?).
Then again, the WP does have some fit and proper investigative journalists.
The truth will out!
upthehoops says:
Member: (709 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 2:46 pm
__________________________________________________________________
I don’t necessarily disagree with what you say (and normally I do :wink:) and I’m no fan of the SFA. I think some people see them as manipulating the clubs, refs and leagues for the benefit of Rangers. How’s that worked out? Answer: it hasn’t. I don’t think they are inherently corrupt either. They’ve made some terrible decisions and shown a complete lack of leadership on a number of issues. We need better people in charge of our game.
Scottish football faced an unprecedented event and the powers that be were totally unprepared and incompetent in how they dealt with it. Thankfully the fans had other ideas and a sense of what was the right thing to do, lobbied their clubs and stopped Rangers being placed in the top division. Something that the majority of clubs would have been happy with. It is still nowhere near as bad as events at FIFA, which was my point. That is proper gold-plated, copper-bottomed , brown enveloped corruption.
incredibleadamspark says:
Member: (61 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 3:24 pm
While many people would agree that the, alleged, corruption at FIFA is far greater in terms of money and the subsequent deaths that this pursuit of money has caused, it could also be argued that the game, itself, hasn’t been affected, or even corrupted, by the actions of the men in charge. However, the spirit of football has definitely been badly damaged.
I ‘believe’ that Blatter is a bad, probably evil, man, but I haven’t read anything of what he is supposed to have done personally, other than to oversee this apparently corrupt FIFA. I hope he gets punished for all his wrongdoings.
Ogilvie, on the other hand, isn’t charged, by us, of lining his own pockets, it is his actions for, and on behalf of, ‘Rangers’, before and after liquidation, that most here find cause to class as his corruption. His hand is, in fact, more clearly evident on things like RFC’s DOS scheme, the EBT scheme (his knowledge of and silence on), his withholding of knowledge/evidence from LNS, than anything that Sepp Blatter has done, as far as we know. In fact, any defence of Ogilvie could, with equal justification, be given to Blatter, as they are both, at best, guilty of allowing things to happen that shouldn’t have been allowed to happen, and as far as we yet know, that is the extent of Blatter’s involvement (though I suspect he is the biggest crook of all).
Put another way, while Blatter’s potential ‘crimes’ are all measurable in money and lives and would be held by most areas of decent society as being of corruption on a world scale, the impact on world football, itself, has been of a lesser consequence than the known actions, and inactions, of Ogilvie have been on the much smaller stage of Scottish football!
incredibleadamspark says:
Member: (62 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 3:59 pm
================================
Clearly there are differences between the SFA and FIFA. No-one at the SFA stands accused of taking bribes or making illicit millions. However, in 2012 they as an organisation made a statement that the club playing out of Ibrox is more important than any other. They failed due to fan power but there has never been any admission of wrong doing, let alone an apology. They attempted to cheat and make it official. How can people who did that be trusted by anyone?
However, in 2012 they as an organisation made a statement that the club playing out of Ibrox is more important than any other. They failed due to fan power but there has never been any admission of wrong doing, let alone an apology. They attempted to cheat and make it official. How can people who did that be trusted by anyone?
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They also sent out a letter.
In full: Document sent to SFL clubs to put Rangers into the First Division.
Complete financial meltdown.IF RANGERS TERMINATED OR SUSPENDED.
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/108463-in-full-document-sent-to-sfl-clubs-to-put-rangers-into-the-first-division/
I would like the administrators of the site to change the default Avatar to something more pleasant. I’m fed-up looking at that horrible little man. How about a hero rather than a clown – say William Wallace or William Wilberforce. Maybe others could suggest someone.
I’d hate to have that thumbnail next to my name.
Ballyargus
Couldn’t agree more,what about the President of World football
upthehoops says:
Member: (710 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 4:33 pm
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Again, I’m in almost total agreement with you and that’s and why I said we need better people in charge of our game but I’m not sure what statement you’re talking about and I can’t remember reading or hearing anything like that. They said Rangers were more important than any other club? Perhaps it’s your interpretation of events and this is the conclusion you’ve reached. Although I’m more than happy to be corrected if you provide a quote.
Where our opinions might possibly differ is in the reasons behind the plan to put Rangers in the top division. I’ll guess that you think it was because of a pro-Rangers agenda within the SFA. Just a hunch but, again, happy to be corrected by you on this. I believe they thought they were doing the right thing, that the game in this country was all about the old firm and simply couldn’t survive without it. This was bullshit.
So they made a serious of very poor statements and decisions that’s left them looking utterly ridiculous and not fit to govern our game. A game which they have shown so little faith in. Corrupt or biased towards one team? Not for me. Just terrible at their job and that leaves them wide open for such accusations.
I didn’t believe the armageddon narrative then and nothing has happened since to change my mind. Sadly this myth continues to be peddled by many today. I can only imagine your extreme disappointment with representatives of your club as they continue to repeat the need for a Rangers in the top division despite all the evidence to the contrary.
Ogilvie had a clear conflict of interest and should have resigned a long time ago.
Blatter is in charge of an organisation that awarded WC 2022 to Qatar and so far hundreds upon hundreds of migrant workers have died building the infrastructure.
Anyone who seriously thinks Ogilvie is worse than Blatter has a questionable set of priorities.
incredibleadamspark says:
Member: (63 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 6:09 pm
So they made a serious of very poor statements and decisions that’s left them looking utterly ridiculous and not fit to govern our game. A game which they have shown so little faith in. Corrupt or biased towards one team? Not for me. Just terrible at their job and that leaves them wide open for such accusations.
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I agree with you in the sense that no brown envelopes stuffed with cash were passed around to ensure certain outcomes, I disagree however that decisions were not made out of some favouritism towards Ibrox.
Corruption or Bias, both have the same outcome that leads to others suffering.
I also do not buy into this ‘Ogilvie is the devil’ stuff, and that he has all-encompassing power. However, I truly believe he is aware of everything that Rangers did wrong against the principals of good sportsmanship and the laws of the land. In his position, that is totally unacceptable so when the shit hit the fan 3 years ago, he was the best placed to advise the right course of action but he put himself and Rangers, first. He is not nasty but he IS devious and dangerous.
Ballyargus says:
Member: (11 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 5:33 pm
Am I the only one who sees the resemblance to a certain ‘wee chico’?
Gee’s a brek!
Madbhoy24941 says:
Member: (71 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 6:46 pm
___________________________________________________________________
There might be some disagreement regarding the motives of the authorities but one thing we can all agree on is that they are doing a very poor job and need to be replaced with something more effective and transparent.
As an aside…. congratulates to ICT on their cup win. Thought they might be in a wee bit of bother after the sending off but they came through in the end. A great achievementfor them. Fantastic.
Allyjambo says:
Member: (966 comments)
Firstly, congrats to ICT, another victim of the Hampden Boards’ Financial Meltdown Armageddon.
Blatter is a complicated case. On the one hand FIFA, under his stewardship has become a byword for everything that is rotten in modern sport. On the other, the good work that has been done for football by FIFA in Africa, USA, and other areas outside the traditional European & South American footballing heartlands cannot be denied.
Blatter strikes me as an ends justifies the means kind of guy, the type who is willing to turn a blind eye to just about any sort of behaviour, providing his “greater good” is being served in the process.
In many ways, he is not so very different from any of the people who sit on the Boards at Hampden, (substitute the over riding need for a “strong Rangers” for “bringing football to the Third World masses” 😉 )
So I’m afrad the noises coming from Hampden about Blatter, are just the same old hypocritical, pots and kettles clap trap we have endured for far too long
I took my teenage son to see what Armageddon looks like at Hampden today. A big well done to ICT and hard luck Falkirk and big thumbs up to the numbers who turned up, a pleasant experience and nae bile. As for Hampden Park as a venue these days, oh dear, reconstruction is required.
Cluster One says:
Member: (166 comments)
May 30, 2015 at 5:27 pm
However, in 2012 they as an organisation made a statement that the club playing out of Ibrox is more important than any other. They failed due to fan power but there has never been any admission of wrong doing, let alone an apology. They attempted to cheat and make it official. How can people who did that be trusted by anyone?
——————————
They also sent out a letter.
In full: Document sent to SFL clubs to put Rangers into the First Division.
Complete financial meltdown.IF RANGERS TERMINATED OR SUSPENDED.
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/rangers/108463-in-full-document-sent-to-sfl-clubs-to-put-rangers-into-the-first-division/
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
“Rangers Terminated or Suspended”
A well run SFA would have sought the support of all clubs to bury sectarianism in the ashes of RFC
That Regan did not even mention the issue says it all
They were not prepared to do anything when they had the chance
Cutting out this cancer is not on the SFA`s agenda and never will be
It will take government action to make any progress