2011/2012 Season Thread

[Woodsinho]

Hurhur.

[Lethal10]

Hurhur.

LOL.

YouTube - ‪Best penalty ever‬‏

[Sam 45]

Dons are playing Villareal at Pittodrie on July 19th for Darren Mackie's testimonial.

That is incredible. I'm going to go wearing my Mackie shirt.

[Shaki]

That last bit of the article is shocking. It's like he missed a sitter in a derby game or something. As if to say 'let's put this small blipl behind us.' Sending cocks to 12 year olds in nae on like.

That quote is insane. "The management and staff at the club have been first class". WHAT THE FUCK?! It's like he really doesn't realise the extent of what he's done. Surely Hearts should be coming out with a statement condemning his actions and sacking him immediately.

At least the Jambos fans are appropriately outraged: Jambos demand sex shame star's contract is ripped up - Scotsman.com News

This guy's career must be over. Even if the club keep him he'll be slaughtered by opposition fans every week. I'll actually join in for once.

[Guest]

Looks like Fyvie is away to Fulham for a million. Not sure how I feel about this.

[Shaki]

Looks like Fyvie is away to Fulham for a million. Not sure how I feel about this.

Believe it when I see a quote from anyone at either club.

[Guest]

Believe it when I see a quote from anyone at either club.

Well obviously I'm speculating. Daily Record says it looks set to be finalised this week, which of course guarantees nothing.

[Lemonade]

Would be sad to lose such a talented young player, but if the million quoted is accurate, well that's a fuckload of money to us that Broon could use to get in a few decent, experienced players. Provided he actually sees any of it of course.

[Scootray]

The rumour is 500,000 plus potential add ons. If it was to ever happen, Pa Broon would see a tiny smidge of that for his kitty.

[Christy]

I suspect that, if we were to sell Fyvie for such a pittance, a lot of Dons fans would consider it the final straw. We had three talented, creative youngsters on our books last season, and Maguire and Aluko have already gone for buttons. If Fyvie were to be sold for anything less than 2mm, it would be an embarrassment and a scandalous bit of business. His talent and potential matches anything seen in this country in the last twenty years.

However, the Daily Ranger/Hunday Mail is an abomination of a "newspaper" and there are no quotes in the piece. Even though I have little faith in the Dons board, I would be astonihsed if the figures quoted were accurate.

[Hugh_Jazz]

Think this has almost no chance of happening.

Nevertheless, it's only a bad bit of business if we don't spend the money wisely. If we made 2 or 3 good signings with the money that seriously improved the side, we ended up with a decent league placing, European football, a cup run or two, and our dignity back, then Fyvie would be forgotten in an instant.

All hypothetical bollocks of course. Like I say, I don't think it will happen...the fact this news was aired in a quote-free article in the Daily Ranger speaks volumes.

[Shaki]

I suspect that, if we were to sell Fyvie for such a pittance, a lot of Dons fans would consider it the final straw. We had three talented, creative youngsters on our books last season, and Maguire and Aluko have already gone for buttons. If Fyvie were to be sold for anything less than 2mm, it would be an embarrassment and a scandalous bit of business. His talent and potential matches anything seen in this country in the last twenty years.

However, the Daily Ranger/Hunday Mail is an abomination of a "newspaper" and there are no quotes in the piece. Even though I have little faith in the Dons board, I would be astonihsed if the figures quoted were accurate.

2 million million I would take! I'm with you, the quoted figure seems ridiculous. I think he's contracted to 2013 which was surely sorted out so anyone sniffing about would have to pay big bucks for such a (potential) talent. If there's some swap deal involving Clint Dempsey + cash then I'm willing to talk.

Bought my season ticket yesterday on the basis that I can't stay away from home games irrespective of our fortunes.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

The Fyvie deal is all just speculation based on a scouting trip from Fulham scouts towards the tail end of the season before last.

It literally is throw as much shit at the wall and see what sticks for these abortions of newspapers.

I am fairly confident this transfer will not happen, however if it does I'd be looking for 2 million minimum + add ons and sell on percentage.

[Alkaline]

The Fyvie deal is all just speculation based on a scouting trip from Fulham scouts towards the tail end of the season before last.

It literally is throw as much shit at the wall and see what sticks for these abortions of newspapers.

I am fairly confident this transfer will not happen, however if it does I'd be looking for 2 million minimum + add ons and sell on percentage.

He needs another good full season playing in the SPL injury free to justify a price tag of 2m, at the moment i think 1m plus add-ons would be the only gamble another club would be willing to take after last season.

He is definitely full of bags of potential though and i hope you guys get a good deal for him when he inevitable does go.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

He needs another good full season playing in the SPL injury free to justify a price tag of 2m, at the moment i think 1m plus add-ons would be the only gamble another club would be willing to take after last season.

He is definitely full of bags of potential though and i hope you guys get a good deal for him when he inevitable does go.

I totally agree that if you're basing it solely on the here and now then yes he would not justify a price tag of anywhere near 2 million.

That is the reason why we should do everything we can not to sell him at this point in time. Definitely at least one more season (although, realistically I would like him to stay until age 20/21 however unlikely that is to actually happen), and we'll hopefully get more for him in the long-run.

If, and I stress the 'if', rumours are true then I have no faith that our board will not bite Fulhams hand, arm and shoulder off for 1 million, unfortunately.

The SPL will continue to be as shit as it is if all the promising youngsters are plucked from the league before they've even established themselves in the first team of the club that produced them.

[Shaki]

The SPL will continue to be as shit as it is if all the promising youngsters are plucked from the league before they've even established themselves in the first team of the club that produced them.

Never a truer word spoken. It is great if we can produce talent which can be sold on but you would hope that players just breaking into the first team in the SPL would realise it is foolish for their careers to go to a bigger club where they are less likely to get a game. There's probably a golden period where they should move - the 2 seasons between establishing themselves as SPL players before being dragged down into becoming SPL-standard players!

Brown has said today that there has been no approach so it is all bullshit anyway.

[Alkaline]

In other news Harry might be saying he wants Modric to stay but there is evidence to the contrary:

[Paranoid Android]

[Captain America]

I wish the commentators wont describe it as getting "kicked out of the game". At least they were agreeing how it was an awful decision.

[french_disko]

The Dons are getting Man City's Colombian keeper in on loan, apparently.

David Gonzlez Giraldo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Woodsinho]

This is fun - BBC Sport - Team GB Olympic football deal angers nations

[Guest Gladstone]

This is fun - BBC Sport - Team GB Olympic football deal angers nations

I don't understand why such a fuss is being made about Team GB to be honest. I understand that there was an issue with future autonomy for the individual nations, but if FIFA (and I guess UEFA as well) come out and give the go ahead, why is it such a big deal?

The team will probably be bollocks anyway. It will be England under 23s plus about 2 or 3 players who won't add much of anything (apart from Gareth Bale who can run fucking fast and cross a decent ball in using his LEFT FOOT).

I can't really think of any players outside England who would justify a place in the starting 11. Is Bannan good enough? He seems to be about the best young prospect Scotland has at the moment. We could give them McGregor for in goals as one of the over 23s. He's better than anything England has to offer. I'm not entertaining any arguments to the contrary on that point - it's a cold hard FACT. He'll fit right in as well, cos he's a grade 1 bell end.

[Soda Jerk]

I wouldn't say McGregor is better than Hart, or even Foster. I also refuse to acknowledge he's any good whatsoever because, as you mentioned. The bell endness. And also because I don't think he's that good.

Would rather have Bannan than Henderson though. 20million for Henderson seems pant-shittingly ridiculous.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

I don't understand why such a fuss is being made about Team GB to be honest. I understand that there was an issue with future autonomy for the individual nations, but if FIFA (and I guess UEFA as well) come out and give the go ahead, why is it such a big deal?

It's about setting a prescedent that may not be used by this FIFA administration because they've agreed that it's okay, but could be used by FIFA at some point along the line. To restrict the home nations' vote to one (GB, although technically UK) rather than four, for example.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Excellent article about Team GB, written by a Rangers fan (Douglas Cameron):

Once again the debate around whether there should be a British football team at the Olympics has raised its ugly head this week. Trevor Brooking thinks Stuart Pearce should get the gig as he knows the lads and David Beckham thinks it would be the perfect retirement party on the basis that "I'm an East End lad and being English born and bred, it would be something I'd be very honoured to be part of".

The case for has in recent times been put forward by a veritable rogues gallery including Lord Sebastian Coe, Harry Rednapp and Sepp Blatter. All refute the suggestion it would endanger the footballing independence of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It looks like its down to me to argue the over my dead body case

Let me start by laying my cards on the table. Im a Scotland fan. Im not a Tartan Army face paint and kilt type who glories in singing Doh a deer and Well support you ever more" though. In a footballing sense Scotland brings little pleasure and a lot of pain but, as with the fan of any team constantly fighting against the odds, the former will always keep drawing me back to the Hampden Park.

Scotland games are in many ways a release from following Rangers. Its not just about the game, the day itself is an event. You go with friends and their families who dont support the same club team. You make the effort to get some food and perhaps a drink or six pre-match. People travel from all round the country for their day out. More than the football its a chance to come together and enjoy each others company. Its not glamorous compared to the bright flame of the London Olympics but it is unquestionably special. That though is not the sort of special a man like Lord Coe would understand. This after all is a man who is a proud member of a political party that once gloried under the doctrine there was no such thing as society.

It seems inconceivable to me that we would even consider risking our national team for the sake of a few games of under 23 football. Ok youre allowed three over age players but Id love to see how Fergie or Wenger would react to one of their top players disappearing for two weeks for a tournament generally considered to be an irrelevance compared to the World Cup or European Championship. The reality is the over age players are likely to be ageing celebs like David Beckham or a few token Celts. It's an important point that is lost, either through spectacular bias or professional incompetence, by almost every journalist in the mainstream British press. Let me say again for the avoidance of doubt, the Olympics is an under 23 football tournament.

Now some of you may not care for the Scottish national team. Its hardly uncommon for club supporters not to be overly bothered about international football. The prestige and the importance of playing for your country has with almost every other vestige of footballs heritage been tarnished by the modern games preoccupation with money. Let me therefore frame this in terms of your average club football fan.

If Scotland were to lose its separate status as a football nation it would lose its own FA and the right to enter teams in Europe. No Champions League. Maybe there would be an upside for the Old Firm with be the forced establishment of a British league. Maybe. That would though see the current 6 teams the SPL and EPL have reduced to UEFAs maximum of 4 so somewhere along the line someone will lose out here.

Does all that sound too apocalyptic? Admittedly that is very much a worst case scenario but lets consider it in terms of risk and reward. What is it that Scotland will actually be gaining from all this?

Right now in any given season Glasgow will play host to 10 or so European games and 3 or 4 internationals. In the last 10 years the city has also hosted one Champions League final and one UEFA Cup final. In the last 5 years alone we've, Henri, Ronaldo, Buffon, Tevez, the greatest Spanish national side in history I could go on but I think Ive made my point.

During the Olympics Hampden will host 3 men's under 23 games and 5 women's games (the decision to allow the stadium to be used seemingly having been taken by the owners and not the SFA). The highlight will be a womens quarter final. Presumably we'll be getting this regardless of there being a British team. There is obviously no suggestion the British team would lower themselves to turning out at Hampden but happily well be able to enjoy that excitement on the TV as our license fee will ensure its on the BBC. Even so there will only be a maximum of 7 games for the mens team to play. You may think losing our national team and our European places is highly unlikely but can you honestly tell me the risk justifies the reward here? Scotland takes the risk while the BOA take the reward. Thanks but no thanks, the SFA are right to distance themselves.

One other point the media seem to be down playing is that the Olympic Charter stipulates no top class football games will be permitted in Glasgow during the Olympics. The matches at Hampden are scheduled from Wednesday 25th July to Friday 3rd August. As we currently stand nobody seems certain if this will impact the start of the SPL season which we are now looking to begin earlier to help our teams in Europe. The SPL have seemingly written to the BOA to inform them the SPL will do as it wishes while the BOA don't appear to have done them the courtesy of acknowledging their letter and have stated publicly there will be no domestic games. There is also the question of what happens if Rangers or Celtic have a home European qualifier? Lord Coe has suggested the simple solution is to reverse the draw and play away that week. What if the opposition refuse? Would we forfeit the tie? Again we are into the realm of the hypothetical but the key for me is this hasnt even been properly considered. It is exactly the sort of arrogant attitude you would expect from people who have no understanding of or care for football. We should trust these people when they say a British team wont impact our footballing independence?

Right now Scotland currently has its own national team and FA. This was enshrined at the FIFA Congress of 1946 which also gave the four home nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland one permanent position on FIFAs eight man International Football Association Board. This was a payoff for the four nations bailing out FIFA financially. FIFA could change this arrangement whenever they like. Why give them an instance of us playing as one team to allow it to be justified?

The privilege the four nations enjoy has over the years made enemies. John McBeth's comments a few years back certainly didnt help and wrongly saw him forced to resign as FIFA Vice-President after groundless accusations of racism in the face of his assertion there were corrupt members at FIFA from Africa and the Carribean. Now that England have failed to win the World Cup bid their FA too have made it clear they have suddenly decided not to turn a blind eye to the alleged corruption at FIFA (their decision to spend the last few years in bed with the likes of Jack Warner having done them very little credit). Make no mistake, England and Scotland's stand last month did not go unnoticed. How odd that all of a sudden Uncle Sepp's assurances have been dropped by those seeking to impose a n Olympic team. He has contradicted himself on this issue with alarming frequency and appears an unlikely figure for anyone to place any faith in.

There is a tendency for people with my views on this subject to be dismissed as Little Scotlanders unable or unwilling to be happy for London. I hate to personalise the argument but I lived in London for a number of years, I am happy to declare my love for the city and my intention to get down at some point and experience the Olympics (though ideally the athletics or some other unique aspect of the event). We are not the ones pushing an agenda of self interest here. Scots may be shouting the loudest on this issue but this is not a case of Scotland v England. The official supporters groups of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland formed the No Team GB movement a number of years ago, theyve just failed to gain any real momentum in the mainstream media or with football fans at large.

There is no real history or tradition of a British team at the Olympics. Scotland and England under 21s have both reached the semi final of the European Championships in the last couple of decades which won them entry to the Olympics. However, no British team enters so the opportunity was denied them. It seems unfair but hardly raised a headline at the time which merely serves to illustrate what an irrelevance the competition is. The argument now that the Olympic experience benefits youngsters' development may have some validity but if it wasnt relevant when Scotland were denied the chance in the 90s or England at Beijing then how can it be anything other than an argument of convenience now?

If there must be a team then it should be England. Of course it should be England. Last time I checked London was still located in England. I realise that for political reasons there is a need to kid on the London Olympics somehow benefit the whole UK but seriously would anyone really think the event was diminished because 11 guys trot out with three lions on their chest not one?

I would hope that if more football fans fully understood the potential implications of this issue they would take it seriously. The only people who could ever support the forcing of a British Olympic football team on unwilling participants are individuals who have lost sight of the joy of sport in the face of the pursuit of money. These people would risk 130 plus years of tradition to sell a few more tickets. They would deny cyclists, runners, swimmers etc the two weeks in every four years when they are the top sporting story just to raise their own profiles with a photo with our boys in their new football tops (recommended retail price only 49.99). How very apt then that the nations most vocal supporters should be a Tory Peer, the head of FIFA and an EPL manager viewing this as a stepping stone to the England job seemingly denied him due to historical allegations regarding his transfer activities.

The London Olympics should be bringing true football fans of all four home nations together in a unified cry of "no Team GB".

ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Rangers FC - No Team GB