2011/2012 Season Thread

[Guest Gladstone]

In my eyes, this is do or die for Scottish Football. They have the opportunity to give the other teams in Scotland something much closer to a level playing field by not letting Rangers walk straight back in to the SPL with a clean slate. They need to impose much harsher sanctions. Rangers Newco can fuck off to the 3rd division (if the SFL want them) or fuck off full stop. Celtic will initially be far too strong for everyone else, but that can't be sustained long term because nobody will want to play for them and the sponsorship and TV deals etc. won't be as lucrative without Rangers, so they'll gradually be weakened over time. A competitive league is far better for Scottish football than one or two strong teams who are nearly good enough to play in the Europa Cup. If they let Rangers back in with a clean slate, they'll go from strength to strength and be dominating Scottish football in no time because they won't have to worry about reducing ongoing debts like everyone else has to. What a load of pish. The other SPL clubs should ask the SFL if they want to create an extended First Division and leave the SPL with just Rangers Newco and Celtic in it. Fucking cretins.

[Soda Jerk]

I think I'm the only person on earth who preferred Cisse's first goal to the second goal. Second goal was grand to watch, but Cech has got alot of explaining to do. First goal is like the Henry goal. Having the time and composure to set yourself up for a volley in the opponents box is miraculous, and Cech had no chance of stopping it. Proper split second thinking and calm execution. Second one was a great spectacle, but pure hit-and-hope. Great goal, but the first was better.

[Moose]

I think I'm the only person on earth who preferred Cisse's first goal to the second goal.

Yes, quite probably.

[Spoonie]

Sandy Jardine. What a ballbag

"We always paid our bills," he said. "We were appalled that we found out that all these bills hadn't been paid.

"It's been so embarrassing and humiliating for a football club that always prided itself in doing the right thing, always paid its bills."

[keeno]

As a pre-meditated piece of skill, the first goal was undeniably better. The second was just a majestic strike of a football. Shots struck with the outside of the foot which curve like that are great to watch. Probably why the Roberto Carlos free kick against France is regarded as one of the best goals ever. 3rd clip here. Brain melting swerve on that ball- probably not as mind blowing these days but boots and footballs are designed to be much more conducive to that, when that was scored I don't remember seeing anything like that). Chose this one due to the music. Proper music on a football video, none of this modern chart pish.

I love watching any free kick scored by Alex for the exact same reason. Screw placement - just a mighty BOOF. 3rd one against Arsenal is the best. Riise was great at that too, he just needs to learn to use the outside of his foot like Alex does!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymrZDWD93ag

Lets not forget this majestic BOOF either.

Unlucky for Modric, he scored a belter last night too and doesn't even get a mention. Cisse did do it twice though!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqaV-L0_RSQ

[Chris]

1. BBC Scotland correspondent James Cook
   
2. "The administrators say they understand Bill Miller has assurances that #Rangers will continue in the SPL with no further points deductions..."
   

[The Milner]

. Second goal was grand to watch, but Cech has got alot of explaining to do.

EH? How could he have possibly prepared for that shot?

[FOX]

EH? How could he have possibly prepared for that shot?

Clairvoyance needs a lot of work.

[Chris]

1. Chris McLaughlin, BBC Sport
   
2. "Interview with #Rangers administrator Paul Clarke across BBC outlets soon. Key points from PC interview: can't guarrantee no liquidation, Craig Whyte won't get penny and looks like deal done to play in #SPL next season."
   

Sadly predictable, especially after Doncaster's interview on the BBC the other night.

[Spoonie]

Great times.

[Guest Gladstone]

Fuck the SPL. If this happens, I hope the arse falls out of the league. It's nothing more than they deserve.

[Sam 45]

Lets not forget this majestic BOOF either.

Was that not with a Jabulani as well? Extra credit deserved for that.

[Captain America]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/harry-redknapp-will-be-bbc-pundit-for-euro-2012-7711531.html

From the article:

His role with the BBC promises an insight, particularly if things don't go well with the Three Lions, as to how Redknapp would have done things differently had the FA opted for him instead.

Nice to see the media supporting the new manager before the tournament even starts...

[ca_gere]

I hope England win the thing now. Hodgson is a football gentleman and deserves success. The media backlash has been pretty sickening. I blame Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho. It seems if you're not a suave Iberian you get nothing but hate from journos nowadays.

[Woodsinho]

Great reaction to Cisse's second goal last night: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17941090

[Captain America]

Cardiff have fallen apart in the first half against West Ham. They need to thank their goalie it's only 2.

[Alkaline]

Cardiff have fallen apart in the first half against West Ham. They need to thank their goalie it's only 2.

It's amazing that David Marshall hasn't had much of a look in for Scotland as he's a better keeper than McGregor in my opinion.

[Lemonade]

Motherwell are in the Champions League next season. Lets just take a second to consider that.

[Hugh_Jazz]

Fuck the SPL. If this happens, I hope the arse falls out of the league. It's nothing more than they deserve.

Totally immoral if the Huns stay up, but it's always been totally fucking obvious that they would whatever the outcome of the takeover, tax case, administration etc.

It's dead easy for all the other clubs to talk a good fight and publically say that the Huns deserve everything they get, but when it comes to the crunch, it's a case of turkeys voting for Christmas when it comes to actually refusing them entry to the SPL. All the other clubs need Rangers, and it's that simple.

It's contemptible in the extreme, but all the talk about shafting Rangers from SPL club chairmen has always been smoke and mirrors bullshit designed to appease their own fans. They'll be here next season, wounded, but comfortably the 2nd best side in the league.

And so the SPL borefest continues......

[Lemonade]

Totally immoral if the Huns stay up, but it's always been totally fucking obvious that they would whatever the outcome of the takeover, tax case, administration etc.

It's dead easy for all the other clubs to talk a good fight and publically say that the Huns deserve everything they get, but when it comes to the crunch, it's a case of turkeys voting for Christmas when it comes to actually refusing them entry to the SPL. All the other clubs need Rangers, and it's that simple.

It's contemptible in the extreme, but all the talk about shafting Rangers from SPL club chairmen has always been smoke and mirrors bullshit designed to appease their own fans. They'll be here next season, wounded, but comfortably the 2nd best side in the league.

And so the SPL borefest continues......

Aye, totally agree. It was clear from day 1 there was no way the SPL will allow Rangers to get relegated, no matter what. It would be like killing the goose that lays their golden egg. It's bullshit, but money talks and the old firm bring the £££ so they are largely untouchable. Did they ever punish them for all the sectarian chanting? Did they fuck, and it still goes on every week. Plus to be honest the SPL would be dick boring with Celtic and no Rangers. It would just be watching Celtic canter to the title with no opposition.

[Paranoid Android]

I hope England win the thing now. Hodgson is a football gentleman and deserves success. The media backlash has been pretty sickening. I blame Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho. It seems if you're not a suave Iberian you get nothing but hate from journos nowadays.

That doesn't explain why the media love 'Arry.

I'm about to head out but hopefully I remember to go back and watch all those free kick videos tomorrow.

I still haven't seen the first Cisse goal!

[Soda Jerk]

Probably because he's English, and he had Spurs playing good football for 3 or 4 months, and people were saying they could even sneak in and win the title. I don't know if I rate him as a good manager overall. Spurs started off the season quite badly, and they seem to be ending it quite poorly as well.

I just don't know why there was a 3 month wait between Capello resigning and the FA finally choosing someone. They kept making a point about how important it was for them to be English. I can't imagine their shortlist was very long. Did they come in every day, and sit and stare at a flip-chart with the names of about 6 managers and go "hmmmm well... ermmm" everyday for 12 weeks? It's all a bit dumb. His first game in charge will be the competition proper. That is a bit mental.

I don't envy Roy being thrown into the deep end like that, but I hope he wins the lot, and then walks into the Sun HQ bollock naked and takes a massive dump on the editors desk. I think it's what Big Bastard would do.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

His first game in charge will be the competition proper. That is a bit mental.

England have two friendlies pre-tournament - away in Norway on the 26th May and Belgium at Wembley on the 2nd June.

[Guest Gladstone]

For what it's worth (not much probably), here's my take on the England situation.

England have players good enough for about the World Cup QF and maybe Euros SF stages on paper. They have three top players in Ashley Cole, Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney but the rest are generally very good players but not up there with the best of them. What they have had for the past 20 years or so is a shit team. On paper, the players aren't all good enough to be winning tournaments, but with the right guy in charge to build a really good team and with a bit of luck here and there, they could be aiming to reach the final of tournaments and maybe win one now and again.

I think the major problem is the FA are incapable of taking a long term view. All they can see in front of them is the next tournament. The way I see it, the only way they could think of winning the Euros would be by appointing a real "big hitter" of a manager to make an immediate impact. Someone like Alex Ferguson, or Mourinho. Someone with real experience of handling big stars and who won't take bullshit from anyone and would have the immediate respect of the players. Obviously there was no chance in hell that they were going to get a big hitter like that. I think Redknapp may have been about the best realistic choice for an "impact" manager but then apparently he would have cost £10m and that's ridiculous.

What they've done is made a really boring, uninspiring appointment. I don't have a problem with that really, but it's obvious that Hodgson was never going to be given a chance by the media. That will rub off on the players and I don't think Hodgson has enough experience of dealing with "big time" players. The closest he's got to that was at Liverpool and that didn't work out too well. Yes, he has international experience, but not at a team with anything like the pressure of the England job. The second things start to go wrong for him, the media will be on his back and he'll lose the dressing room. He's too nice a bloke. That's one thing in particular that I think Redknapp would have done much better than him. He wouldn't have taken any shit from any of the players and he would have been a stronger personality.

What I think the FA should have done is just appointed a young manager. Someone to build a team for the future. Tell him that success in the next two tournaments isn't going to be the measure of him so that if he somehow doesn't get the respect of the "big stars" in the dressing room, he shouldn't be scared to tell them to get to fuck. Start building a team for Euro 2016 / World Cup 2018. A management team of something like Stuart Pearce and David Beckham. Both players have vast international experience and would definitely hold the respect of the players and I think including the "big stars" who would have looked up to both players a few years ago and a lot will have played for Pearce at U21 level and with Beckham for England.

I know Beckham has fuck all coaching experience but I think he'd make a good coach actually and would be good at building team spirit. I think that would be somewhat of a dream team actually. Then again, it could go mentally wrong. The important thing I think would be to get the message across that they are looking to the future and that expectations for the next couple of tournaments is fairly understated but any level of success is a bonus and that they are looking to have these guys in charge for many years to come to build the next couple of generations of England teams that can hopefully be competing for tournaments. They can't really do any worse than the past couple of generations. They've not had a team close to challenging for a big tournament since 1990. Since then it's been, appoint new manager who will win the next tournament. Fails. Sacked. Repeat.

[Spoonie]

All the other clubs need Rangers, and it's that simple.

I've said all along that I don't agree with this statement. It's been shown in the past that when teams have a strong cup run, are more competitive in the league or have a european run, the ticket money more than offsets the old firm money. Getting rid of Rangers, who have used cheating to dominate the Scottish game through our lifetimes, means more chance of that happening for the other teams.

If people keep holding this opinion we're as well not bothering. The SPL is NOT a life support machine for the OF. They tried their hardest for years to try and get out of it and play elsewhere. Now it turns out one of them has cheated its way to titles for years. And still people are like 'we need them'. We need them like we need AIDS.