Old Firm Fitbaw

Normal Order Resumed In Scotland As Celtic Conquer Europe (Again!)

2007-10-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

It would be easy to get distracted with a fan running onto the pitch and doing something daft as that would take away from the monumental victory Celtic had against the best team in Europe. The same team which struggled to stop Celtic earlier this year.

Celtic have replaced legendary figures such as Lennon and Petrov with equally worthy first team additions. Celtic went a long time without buying first team players but the arrival of Donati and Scott Brown have propelled Celtic to a new place.

Scott Brown was the most sought after player in the last year in Scotland. Let's not get away from that. You can sign your Whittakers, Thomsons, and Naismiths for 2m each but when it comes to the real deal Celtic slapped down the cash. Lawwell slapped down the cash and met the asking price by Hibs and we're seeing that Brown is a steal at 4.4m quid. An absolute steal, not only financially but because he's the player Rangers F.C. lusted after.

So what of the new look Rangers. It can't be forgotten that they performed well for part of the Stuttgart game. Sure you can't ignore the fact that Stuttgart are the German Champions but when you consider their stuttering performances of late, with them losing 0-2 at home tonight, showing there's more to it than a simply awesome Gers revival.

Then you have to look at the Lyon result and admit that is superb whatever way you paint it. Interestingly, Rangers apologist Gerry McNee was in the paper saying that Lyon were truly pathetic at home on Tuesday night. Usually McNee will deliver a Rangers sermon which will be a wonderful eulogy to the passing of the performance but not this week. This hints at something not being right in Rangersland.

One can more easily see the raw situation with the initially ruthless Rangers getting these results in Europe and then suddenly misfiring on the domestic front. This is generally where article writers such as McNee are coming from in that they see the writing on the wall and even the usual furious writing of excuses won't save them.

Spare a thought for poor Walter Smith though. Here's a guy who is a tactical dud in Europe who got lucky in season 1992/93. His last season during the 10IAR that wasn't has long been forgotten. You have a guy who couldn't do it back then and now he's at the helm again. Two games gone and 6 points in the bag can only mean one inevitable result. History is against Rangers from this point forward and every bear knows that.

What of our UEFA Cup reps? Let's not waste anytime. Aberdeen are rubbish and will get humped by the next unpronounceable team they are drawn against but at least they scored a goal.

So where does that leave Celtic? We just happen to be sitting comfortably in 2nd place and are about to play the mickey mouse team of the SPL so anything less than a tanking will be hearsay. We will be back on top in this decade of Celtic where we belong by dinner time Sunday. If you remember, we're now on course to be a goal and a point from 7IAR this season which is simply amazing.

We have also just gubbed Milan who are the Champions of Europe. The number uno club in the world containing the best player in the universe in Kaka, yet a 700k FCM player brings them to their knees.

Life is sweet in timland.

Paul Le Gone!

2007-01-04T17:39:00.000-08:00

Scotland's #2 club has plunged into their biggest crisis of 134 years with a non-stop period of embarrassment and humiliation at the hands of individuals who have caused infighting on a level never before seen in this country.

Even at the bleakest period in Celtic's history when John Barnes was thrown from the revolving door at Paradise and landed in the car park doesn't compare to the constant aggravation a club which can't be at peace with itself continues to portray.

Rangers have been in bother since Sir David Murray failed to back Alex McLeash this time last year with the 48m raised from giving away the retail outlet to JJB Sports. Had Big Eck been given that cash then he would have taken Rangers further than the last 16 place in the Champions League. Indeed, it isn't unreasonable to assume that they could have reached at least the semi-final given they were undefeated against the Spanish team Villareal, who themselves were unlucky not to be Finalists.

It's against that backdrop that the entry of Paul Le Guen, with a treble of French league trophies, breezed into Ibrox. According to the daily comics, Le Guen was a much-lusted after coach who could have chosen any team to go to on the Continent. They argued that he snubbed Real Madrid when he got the Rangers Calling. Well, there's not a lot you can do to chose between those two.

After all, Celtic have the same ability to bring talent like Roy Keane, who snubbed Madrid for Paradise, and Thomas Gravesen who we swooped for from Spain in August, so who are we to disbelieve that Rangers are Celtic's equal in this regard?

So we were set up with the most desired manager ever at the Rangers helm to build on McLeash's success and we started to see this with the amazing signings that Le Guen brought in.

Moonbeams aside, the ability to recruit first team players from Austria Vienna is not something that every club has an ability to do. That each and every signing made by Le Guen turned out to be a class one dud is of no surprise to many tims who looked, shook their head, and then laughed.

Le Guen's record basically speaks for itself. He won less that 50% of his games and was gone in a shorter time span than Barnes but has been met with friction, resistance, and downright insubordination to his rules and regulations.

If you look closely at Rangers you will see that Le Guen is the victim of a cancer which is growing within Rangers F.C. This club once was the biggest in Scotland and their fans still demand the same level of spending to try to be Celtic's equal. Rangers fans hate Murray for what he did to the club through the wasted Advocaat years. Then his refusal to back Big Eck by putting money into the club like those hard working bears have is the final straw for many.

Add to this, you now have an ex-captain who has never been accepted for fleeing Ibrox for the first EPL club which came calling and his sheepish return after that flop and his inability to match his level of play before he left has made him the hated figure some see him as.

Then you've got the same player who has consistently undermined his new boss by trying to create unrest in the dressing room and on the field of play by telling players what to do and how to play counter to his manager's instructions. Barry Ferguson is a disruptive influence who has gotten his manager into bother causing the Chairman to have to chose between him and his manager.

By backing his former captain, Murray has made Le Guen's position untenable and forced him out of the club. For somebody who claims to not sack managers, it's hard to tell with the third occupant to the managerial chair in less than a year - or 4 if you count Durrant taking temporary charge.

So what of the current situation. Manager-less Rangers are now trying to sign Webster and the Hibs duo. Who is making these decisions by meddling in team affairs? How can you buy players without a manager? If this was any other club, such as Hearts with Romanov or Celtic, then the hypocritical press poodles would be going ballistic. But even in the darkest hour at Ibrox you see a restrained adherence to the natural order. Some will speak out of line and get whipped in the long term, but the majority will meekly applaud as Murray is seen as a hero for righting wrongs at the club.

So who to be the successor by drinking from the poison chalice at Ibrox? The front runners are the "Dream Team" of Sally McCoist and Walter Smith, with some combination of Stuart McCall and John Broon to give the back room some "muscle."

This is totally flabbergasting. McCoist is being groomed as the successor, they claim, with Smith being Director of Football "upstairs." Now, tapping of the Scotland management team aside, what credentials does Sally have to think he could manage Rangers where Le Guen failed? He's never been a manager before and the jovial and laugh a minute McCoist isn't the personality nor the tactician to pick Rangers out of the sewer.

Appointing McCoist and Smith is doomed to failure and generally suggests a mark of desperation given the French Revolution ended with Rangers getting their head chopped off. A total shambles doesn't even begin to describe it and it's only the fourth day of 2007.

Happy New Year, Rangers!

Unhappy Christmas For Tims Coming Up

2006-12-15T19:24:00.000-08:00

It would be easy to think that going to Ibrox at this time of year will land Celtic with three gift wrapped points and 19 points of a distance between them and their smaller rivals, but that is wishful thinking.

While in the recent past Rangers have often entertained the spirit of goodwill by giving us enough points to bring a smile to timdom, the air of complacency currently settling over Celtic Park will cause us to be in for a rude awakening on Sunday.

Celtic are currently focused on bigger things than the Old Firm game because we just had the draw for the last 16 of the CL. Celtic, being the first British club to win the European Champions Cup in 1967, are rightfully back where they belong amongst Europe's elite.

Drawing Milan puts us amongst the unknown element as the Italians have an aged team which is made up of many of the team who were lucky to beat Celtic in the group stages 2 years ago at the San Siro. Back then their central defence had a combined age of 70 so they are likely to have a defence which has a total combined age of 140 by now.

With the speed and firepower Celtic have in attack with Jan Venegoor of Hesselink and Kenny Miller, we are almost certain to cause panic and mayhem on the park with Milan. If we beat them by a couple of goals - even 1-0 will do - then you absolutely have to fancy Celtic to score away to them at least.

Celtic have a reasonable away record in European qualifiers if you ignore Basele and Artmedia away. We've recently beaten Ajax away and won convincingly in Budapest, so all this nonsense of not winning away in the CL is just that - nonsense.

So what of the Old Firm game. Rangers are in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup at this point. In the old days of the UEFA Cup, before the nonsense of the "groups" where you play each team only once, Rangers would have been in the second round of the UEFA Cup.

So when guys like Ferguson and Smith (or whoever the kid was) says Rangers can do a "Celtic" and reach the Final of the UEFA Cup then who are we to disbelieve them. Rangers is a team filled with quality players who are starting to get their game together.

This was shown by the flawless performance against Hibs last week where clinical finishing and precision passing destroyed the best footballing team in Scotland. Contrast that to Celtic, who have struggled away from home on every occasion this season and you see the current trend.

The Hooped Ones struggled to snatch a draw at Easter Rd a few weeks ago and we embarrassed ourselves against Dunfermline last week. Not a lot is going right for Celtic and when you consider that the last time Kenny Miller scored in the SPL was against Rangers at Celtic Park then you can see the extent of the real problem - strikers who can't score.

So it's for this reason that Rangers are pretty much guaranteed to win this six pointer. Our defence is probably at its most vulnerable for many a year so we could be in for a gubbin of Artmedia proportions.

I fear for Us on Sunday.

Big Guns All Through To Last 16

2006-12-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

While disappointing to not get another win in a nothing CL game, it can't be forgotten that Celtic done all the hard graft before tonight. Resting players is always a temptation that Europe's top sides have to evaluate and Strachan is no different.

Putting Nakamura on the bench when he is currently the best midfielder in Britain is always a difficult choice but we have one eye on the big SPL games coming up against Rangers in a game or two.

We can always take a break from the domestic drudgery, but we can't forget that the reason we're in a position to qualify from the CL groups is all down to our dominating the League Championship for the last 10 years.

Next week when we draw our opposition from one of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Milan, Lyon, or Valencia, we would do well to remember that those teams will need to come and play us in the second leg. There is no more terrifying an arena in the world than Celtic Park.

We will probably have won the League by the time we play these games at the end of February but by then we'll have spent a chunk of the Petrov fee and used some of the money from the CL run this year. Who we buy will be interesting.

Bobo isn't the rock he once was. While he is still recovering from injury you have to ask if he or Caldwell is really the answer. Caldwell is a liability after he sold the Benfica game away. In the middle of the park we had Jarosik and Gravesen who together are not the answer. We definitely need Nakamura's creative influence balanced with Lennon's predatory defensive midfield duties. Upfront we were without JVoH who would have been better suited for tonight.

So who of our opponents? The weak links in the list are Lyon and Chelsea. You'd have to fancy going through against either of those two given Mourinho's ego problem and Lyon being an unknown lot.

We'd probably want to avoid our old foes of Liverpool, Valencia, and Milan. It's Bayern Munich and Arsenal we should fear. Getting either of those two gives us no chance, any of the middle mob will need us to score a couple away and Chelsea/Lyon are the teams we shouldn't fear.

We can worry about the CL quarter-finals afterwards.

We're Through To The Last 16

2006-11-21T17:14:00.000-08:00

1) All you WGS doubters should apologize now.

2) Who says you need to win away matches?

3) Celtic qualify with dignity. Not embarrassment.

4) Superb performances by every Hooped Hero tonight

5) God Bless Celtic

Celtic Close In On Greatness

2006-10-31T18:54:00.000-08:00

15 days ago Celtic swept Benfica aside in Paradise in a display of football which hasn't been seen for many a night. Under MON Celtic played a game which played to our strengths, but Strachan's Celtic Team Two has an added dimension of killer pace upfront.

The second goal from Celtic V Benfica in a sweeping break from their opponent's corner is probably one of the greatest goals ever seen in Scotland. The speed and directness of the goal and the clinical finishing shown by Kenny Miller that night is still amazing to watch in re-runs.

Shaun Maloney has developed into such an influential attacking midfielder that he could become almost as brilliant a player as Paul McStay. McStay at his peak was probably one of the best midfielders in the world so for Maloney to be in such company isn't to be sniffed at.

Kenny Miller himself is turning into the type of forward that his former team desperately need. Le Guen's Rangers have plummeted to the depths of Celtic during the Brady/Macari era, with David Murray's barricading himself in the Boardroom of Ibrox being reminiscent of the situation of the old board at Celtic.

A broken team, a weak manager, and a fan base who are ready for car park demonstrations is all so different to the Celtic position recently announced financially and footballing wise by Chairman Quinn. Celtic are in such a dominant position over Rangers at this time that Murray's failure to spend even 2 quid for every 10 quid Celtic spend has the usually loyal press cohorts turning their crayons on their former Master.

It is a situation made worse by the fact Celtic have a pile of money to spend in the January transfer window. When you consider we have found a gem of a midfielder in Evander Sno, who has just been called into the Dutch squad, and have an embarrassment of riches all over the field you could almost take pity on the poor bears who see Celtic getting stronger as their team gets weaker.

Rangers lie in a seeming position of disrepair compared to Celtic's position as financial kings of the SPL, and when you compare the Murray Park conveyor belt of talent to the players who are emerging today at Celtic Park then the picture looks all the more depressing.

If you do the numbers you will see Celtic are basically a goal and a point away from 7IAR. We're well on our way to winning this year's title and you have essentially had a decade of dominance of Celtic over Rangers, with the odd flurry from Rangers in between.

And Celtic are only getting stronger.

So what of the away game against Benfica. If ManUtd win and Celtic take a point then both British teams would progress to the last 16. While we haven't won away for 10 CL group games, the law of averages says it has to happen eventually, and what more appropriate location than Lisbon?

Celtic, returning to their spiritual home when they became the first British (and only Scottish) club to win the European Champions Cup, are in as good a position as we've ever been. We've been robbed before when an accidental hand ball led to a penalty away to Lyon three minutes from time, then another stolen penalty in the away game to Juventus 5 years ago robbed us of our rightful progressing.

Tonight is the night we return to the place we have been on sabbatical from. We will get at least a point and return to Scotland as legends.

Lennon The Hero For Celtic

2006-09-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

There is no better player in the Celtic team than Neil Lennon over the past couple of games. This guy gives 100% every time and has constantly shown he is a stand out in Europe and against our lesser Glasgow opponents. Tonight, as with Saturday, he was simply superb.

There are those who would toss him from the side at every opportunity just as there are those who don't really grasp what he does. His classic role is to guard our backline by breaking up the opponent's attacks or push them away from goal.

One good example of this tonight is his ability to push an opponent out onto the wing with a run which guided the Copenhagan player away from goal. Lennon might not be the fastest but his positional sense and his ability to draw out the other players in the Celtic team are more important than raw pace.

Lennon is second to none in the holding role.

Now, Celtic have positioned themselves well in the CL group stages with a good win over the Danes. This team was made to look rather ordinary despite the fact they had major height advantage and were meant to be decent passers of the ball. They looked like an ordinary SPL side like Rangers.

Whlie it was 1-0 going on 4-0, you can't overlook the missing player Jan Venegoor of Hesselink. What a talent this striker is and him being missing meant we were at an extreme disadvantage. It's equivalent to when we were missing Larsson during the glory years in Europe of MON.

But tonight Miller ran the line in fine fashion running himself into the ground for the cause. He is a totally team driven player whom is so focused on the result than selfish self-interest. A guy who has overcome the criticism to start to emerge in the Celtic team. His goal scoring statistics are starting to look impressive. In the last 2 international games and his last two club games, he's scored 4 times which is the level of consistency which separates him from the likes of Kris Boyd.

With the Danes taken care of, we are now sitting on three points after two games, with Man Utd on top with 2 wins. Benfica stand between Celtic and a place in the next round of the CL. If we beat them at Celtic Park and grab a point away then we will be sitting pretty for the visit of Man Utd in game 5. We will get at least a point from that game as Man Utd will already have qualified on 12 points, and we'll be on at 8 or 10 points.

So we can probably qualify for the next round by game 5 which will be impressive. I took a look at Benfica tonight against a stuttering ManUtd side. The Portuguese side did not look too clever, no matter what lofty and misguided reputation they seem to have gained from their lucky run last season in the CL. They looked pretty ordinary and offered no real way back once they went behind.

So, if it goes to plan we'll be nicely setup for future rounds in Europe. Overall, it's going according to plan, and, again, Strachan deserves the plaudits for what he is doing this season.

I watched the game tonight on the uefa.com website. Talk about an amazing experience. They showed the teams warming up and the transmision was as smooth as a pint of Guinness sipped at a pub in Dublin.

Celtic Should Be Weary Of Injured Rangers Team

2006-09-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

Rangers have taken an absolute pummelling in the media and on phone ins recently. Everybody and their dog is kicking sand in the face of the Ibrox club as they lie crumpled in a sad pathetic heap on the ground. The possibility of an absolute doing on Saturday would even make Bill Struth, who has been deid for 50 years, tremble in his coffin.

Regular readers will be aware of my concern for Celtic being put on a plinth of invincibility relative to Rangers as there's always a comeback to these situations. This is indeed the situation we find ourselves in and it is this very situation which makes Rangers most dangerous.

Such complacency will be our undoing and we can only hope that Gordon Strachan is hammering home this point. Celtic might be in a position where, man for man, there isn't a single player in the Rangers squad who would be on Celtic's bench.

But we must not forget that Paul Le Guen is the manager who brought about our demise from the Champions League in 2003. Right after getting to a European cup Final, we were minutes from being the first Scottish team in recent years to reach the latter stages of the CL, but a dubious penalty to Lyon robbed Celtic of their destiny.

Le Guen knows how to get the better of Celtic, even though he would have lost on aggregate. But the important thing is that Rangers will be up for this game. Barry Ferguson, will do a captain's job by getting his team mates fired up for the game as this is make or break time for Rangers.

This is a game they absolutely cannot lose or they'll be 7 points adrift of Celtic with only the Cup competitions to look forward to. A draw would be an excellent result. This would keep Rangers within touching distance for the next game at Ibrox where they'd be guaranteed to claw back three points.

After being totally humiliated by Hibs last week, it will be much easier for Gers to face a slower team such as Celtic. Whereas Hibs are fast on the break, can play one touch, silky football, that even Celtic struggle against, Celtic are much more within their realm of play. We can't play fast attacking foorball and we need a minimum of 2 touches before the ball goes to an opponent.

Add to this that we've lost our best defender in right back Wilson, then if Le Guen can figure out that running at pace will cause our defence to implode if exposed tactically.

In Rangers' arsenal of attacking options Le Guen has the ability to play three forwards in Prso, Boyd, and Burke who have the pace, goal scoring prowess, and craft to tear our defence to shreds. You can guarantee that their manager will do his home work and will expose our deficiences in the backline.

Especially tragic for Celtic's defence is that goal machine Kris Boyd was back to his very best scoring against Dunfermline earlier this week. You can pretty much give him a goal as he hasn't, for all his legendary goal scoring exploits last season netting a European boot busting 37 goals, scored against Celtic.

It will generally come down to the point that if Paul Telfer is in the defence then Celtic will lose. I fear for how Prso, Boyd, and Burke will expose our defensive frailties and gain the upper hand in the league.

I expect Celtic to lose 0-2.

What Might Have Been...

2006-09-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

You can tell it's European week when we have Barry Ferguson quoted in the Scottish press today saying that Rangers can win the UEFA Cup. What a level of expectation he has set for his team's fans and for others like me who might not be as convinced.

Still, Gers do have the momentum from Celtic's mighty efforts on Wednesday night against an inform Manchester Utd. We played brilliantly against the team at the top of the best league in the world, who also had the return of the best player in the world, Wayne Rooney.

According to those who make up the stories for the tabloids which people mysteriously buy, Celtic would be gutted like a fish by the Old Trafford team. The expectation was that this annihilation would match the horrors which were expected when we twice went to the Nou Camp in recent years.

What actually happened was Celtic played brilliantly, at a level which has seen us now bag 6 CL goals in our last two games. We were playing so well that it took dodgy refereeing decisions, cheating by Man Utd players, and incredible bad luck to send us home with a 3-2 defeat.

There's always a dodgy penalty incident when we lose 3-2 to our supposed masters in the Champions League. We've been there when Juventus were given a crazy penalty and we've been there when Lyon were given a crazy penalty.

It's the usual story and last night it was a shameful situation where Ryan Giggs, of all players, cheated by diving as though he had been hauled down. There was a slight touch but not anything to send the Welsh cheat to ground.

But these incidents can't take away from what a superb performance Celtic gave. It's like rolling back the years to how superb we were during the MON era in Europe. Not feeling inferior to our supposed betters is what it was all about and Gordon Strachan should be thoroughly congratulated for the effort he got from the tean.

I've been one of his fiercest critics but saw something was changing in the wee man during the close season and finally he has arrived as the Celtic manager to help us rebuild our reputation amongst Europe's Elite.

So it's on to play our pals Benfica and Copenhagen in the next 2 games in Paradise. Six points after 3 games will do me.

So onto the lesser Scottish teams playing in Europe's lesser tournament. Hearts were unlucky in the CL qualifiers to get gubbed 3-0 by their anonymous Greek opponents. Getting 2 players sent off didn't help preparations for facing Sparta Prague in the UEFA Cup. They didn't let us down by crashing 0-2 and not even making the bizarre group stage of the UEFA Cup.

If there's one waste of time it has to be a group stage where you only play your opponent once. So you might play a wee team away and a big team at home, but not vice versa. How stupid is that, UEFA?

Anyway, before the Ibrox team had to be concerned with that, they needed to brush aside a team which were languishing at the bottom of the Norwegian League before last weekend.

There are no dud teams in Europe anymore. Just ask Paris St Germain. Held 0-0 against a so-called dud team called Derry City. Try asking F.C. Molde who were held 0-0 by a so-called dud team from Scotland.

You know, leaving your best player on the bench (Prso) shows a complete disrespect to you opponents. Rangers have basically taken the piss out of the Norwegian team and it's backfired.

You won't find them being so daft in their home leg as I expect we will finally see Super Striker Boyd end his goal drought by firing Gers into the glory of the UEFA Cup group stages.

As for Hearts, how crap are they?

Celtic In Europe - The New Century

2006-09-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

Under MON Celtic climbed to the very top of European football. We had such a wonderful team with such amazing strength throughout the team which got us to within a whisker of bringing European trophies back to Paradise.

We had a powerful backline with guys like Mjalby who would put the fear of death into any opponent who would dare challenge. We had emerging players such as John Kennedy who looked like he had the potential to be Billy McNeill's successor.

In the middle of the park we had the duo of Lennon and Lambert who could stop anybody. The world's greatest every chess player Gary Kasparov was well-known for sitting the double pawn pairing deep to protect the King in his defensive plays. MON used the footballing equivalent with the Lennon-Lambert pairing.

On the wings we had players like Thompson who was worth a goal in any European game and the electric pace of Agathe could power past any player on the right. Who can forget Agathe annihilating Stuttgart in Germany to announce Celtic had arrived at Europe's top table?

Then you had the amazing Henrik Larsson. What more needs to be said about this player who single-handedly won Barcelona the CL last season?

His strike partner of Hartson or Sutton were as good as any. Larsson said Sutton was the best partner he'd ever played with. That's quite a plaudit as Larsson has played with the best strikers in the world. Hartson, too, was an amazing player who scored against Barcelona in the Nou Camp when we were told we were not good enough. He scored against Liverpool when we were told we were not good enough.

Then onto Manchester Utd and Old Trafford. We have Team 2 from Gordon Strachan which is arguably stronger in some areas than before. We have a front strike force of Miller and Jan Vinnegoor of Hesselink who are starting to develop a telepathic understanding. Miller destroyed the team which drew with the World Cup Winners 10 days ago. He is an incredibly underestimated player. JVoH is the player keeping Ruud van Nistelrooy out of the Dutch national team.

Then in the middle of the park you have the richness of McGeady and Nakamura, two players who are a step in class above Thompson and Agathe. In the middle you have Gravesen replacing Stan Petrov. When you consider Celtic signed him from Real Madrid then you can understand the class the Dane has.

In the defensive position you have Neil Lennon. What can you say about Lennon which hasn't been said before. He knows the score and has a telepathic ability to predict his opponent's actions. His reading of the game is second to none, which is why, even at 35, Lennon is the type of player who will guide Celtic through this Old Trafford game successfully.

At the back, Celtic have the safe hands of Boruc in goal. Always our downfall under MON, the Pole is the goalie that the big four in England covet.

The only place we need to be concerned is our backline. Going forward Celtic have nothing to fear, which is why we won't lose in Manchester.

Torment For Celtic In the Theater Of Dreams

2006-09-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

Celtic begin their latest European adventure in the so-called Theater of Dreams at Old Trafford on Wednesday night. This is a venue that we've all come to know and love from Celtic taking a huge crowd down for somebody's testimonial, a nice kick about, and a happy player with a fat wad of cash in retirement.

But this time the event is more than a kickabout. It's the Champions League. Rangers supporters will probably have read about it but that's a side issue.

Going to Old Trafford would put the fear of God into most teams and it should because Manchester Utd are off to a flyer this season and look totally unbeatable with 4 out of 4 wins from the EPL so far already this season.

So what can Celtic realistically hope to achieve against a Tier One European side? Should we go down there and happily accept a 3-0 hiding similar to that which Rangers were excited to receive three years ago, or should we be looking to take something from the match?

Are we even allowed to think that?

If you look at it on paper, Manchester Utd have the best attacker in the world in Wayne Rooney, who on his game would destroy and defence. Celtic are handicapped by the absence of Bobo Balde, our #1 center half and we have goalie and backline who haven't played in Europe for Celtic before.

It does not make for pretty reading. Or it didn't until Celtic signed to top European players in Jan Venegoor of Hesselink and Thomas Gravesen. Suddenly, the thought of the Dutchman leading our front line and the Dane bossing midfield with Neil Lennon seems reasonable.

It's all down to how we fill the other 4 roles within the team. There is no better player at running himself into the ground for a cause than Kenny Miller. He has been outstanding for Scotland recently and had a superb assist on Saturday for JVoH to fire in the Sheep winner.

Then you have Aiden McGeady the wunderkid who has so much skill, vision, and talent that you wonder how long Celtic can hold onto him, playing on the left.

Finally, you have Japanese midfielder and dead ball expert, Nakamura who would put most Brazilians to shame when he is on his game. Man Utd will fear him if he gets anywhere near their goal with a freekick.

So, it really is down to how well our defence plays. Wilson at right back is the best in Scotland. Artur Boruc is probably one of the top three keepers in Britain.

Lee Naylor looks like he's coming onto his game at the expense of Paul Telfer. Naylor has looked comfortable in the left back slot and has also had experience of playing at Old Trafford, in the same team as Kenny Miller who sunk Man Utd in that match.

It's all down to how our central defence shapes up. If McManus and Caldwell can keep it tight and we can keep a clean sheet until half time then United will start to get anxious. They are playing in front of a sell out crowd for the first time and their failure last season will be all too fresh in their mind.

For that reason, I expect us to either grab a point in a 0-0 draw, or get a late winner at the death and take all three points. Then all the muppets will sit up and take notice.

Onward Mr Strachan.

Kris Boyd Arrested In Kilmarnock

2006-08-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

For inciting the opposition fans for scoring two goals. He could have started a riot according to the local police chief.

A caution is expected to be handed down from the Scottish Legal Overlords now that the precedent has been sent.

An interview with the Killie fan who spotted Boyd's provocation said he was shocked, stunned, and traumitised by the hideous act.

The local Killie Supporters Trust spokesman said that Boyd deliberately scored in slow motion and had a grin when the ball hit the old onion back. It was a deliberate pre-meditated act, he added, pointing out the evil that could clearly be seen in Boyd's eyes during the illicit act.

Killie Police were applauded for moving swiftly to collar a cell-mate for other Old Firm felon, Artur Boruc.

Dreams & Nightmares

2006-08-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

What a week it is for Scottish Football. Last week we had the SPL2 teams try to expand their pie by giving it away to the 2nd and 3rd divisions. Don't they understand what they're doing - they're forfeiting their share of the 1.7m payoff to the Scottish League clubs. It's suicide.

Speaking of suicide, what a week of fun filled happiness for supporters of the third and fourth teams in Scotland. A wonderful away performance by Hearts getting horsed 3-0 in Greece, with 2 players getting sent off couldn't have been more wonderful for other teams, especially Celtic who pocket all the CL loot.

Then you have the Sheep getting punted out of the CIS Cup by Queens Park. The Sheep are a total joke as this is up there with the 2-0 loss to Stenhousemuir in 1995. Hilarious stuff and it wasn't over.

Rangers went to the top of the league temporarily as Super Striker Kris Novo (or is that Nacho Boyd?) scored twice while missing a Harald Brattbakk-esque bucket load. But Le Guen wasn't to be outdone as he built on this by getting mugged 1-4 by some anonymous Russian outfit, with Ricksen crocking Rangers sensation Chris Burke.

Additionally, Rangers published their results for the last financial year and, dubious accounting practices aside, we see that they were totally mugged by JJB Sports. It is not surprising that there is no money to be spent at Ibrox.

So who is spending money? Who is signing players? Who is off to a flyer this season?

Celtic have started rather sluggishly this season. Strachan has his detractors and I'm one of his biggest critics. Some of you lot who were gushing with praise as we stumbled to the League Title have suddenly turned on him, but wee Gordy is showing his mettle and is his own man.

It isn't that Strachan has had his problems to seek but he is learning to address his mistakes and this is probably the most important point. We had a poor pre-season and it didn't look good but the money raised has helped raise funds to plug the gaps.

Strachan has brought in a well-respected left-back from England and he also found the best Scottish right-back in Wilson, who signed in January. Then we've got Bobo and Maloney to comeback to aid us in Europe. Strachan also moved on a couple of players who haven't worked out and now signed one of Europe's top strikers from PSV Eindhoven.

Suddenly things look to be turning the corner for Celtic. The Dutch striker is the perfect foil for Kenny Miller. The ex-Rangers hero is in need of playing off a big target man rather than leading the line directly. This is exactly what will bring out the best in Miller and this player signing is up there with signing Chris Sutton.

Sutton was a superb signing for Celtic and a guy who brought a Roy Keane attitude to Celtic. He was a winner and that's exactly what the Dutch striker is. He is a stunning signing for Celtic of the calibre we thought might be gone from our game in Scotland forever. I'd hate to be a Hibs fan thinking about him making his debut.

So what could be better for Scottish football? A nice CL draw for the Scottish Champions, of course. We have come out with an awesome draw. There is none better than Manchester Utd, Benfica, and Copenhagan.

Getting the Danes who are the weakest team in the group stages means we'll get a minimum UEFA Cup spot and getting Manchester Utd is the Battle of Britain we all want to see.

Then we have Benfica who are nothing to write home about. Suddenly Celtic are in a position to do a Rangers. This is the stuff which we all want to see. Celtic qualifying for the next round of the CL and re-establishing Scotland's reputation in Europe.

Strachan has a great chance of qualifying and we have the makings of a great team. Don't let us down.

Rangers' Summer of Discontent

2006-07-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

2006 is shaping up to be one of the most awful years in the 130 year history of Rangers F.C. Even last season's almighty effort of 1 win from 10 in the Champions League can't make up for a barren trophyless season, and when that is added to the failure to qualify for the CL next season, summer couldn't come fast enough.

Summer 2006 was meant to herald the coming of Le Guen and the French Revolution which would turn the Ibrox club into Le Rangers. A procession of big name signings fueled by the JJB Sports warchest, denied to McLeash, was nothing less than expected, but who has been paraded?

Nobody of any significance. All that has happened is that the club has been handed constant rejection because they won't pay the asking price for players. Why else did Austria Vienna get annoyed with the derisory offer? Just where exactly is the JJB Sports cash?

Le Guen finally showed up at Ibrox months after his appointment at the club. Then it was off to South Africa for a pre-season tour which has since turned into farce. Little did Rangers realize that they would have to play second fiddle to another touring team.

That would be alright if it really was Man Utd, but it turns out they got the raw end of a deal involving Aberdeen. The ultimate insult to any football club. In the last game of the tour, Rangers were mugged 0-2 by the RSA Champions.

Now the way this was reported suggests it was a second string team and this result was irrelevant compared to the drubbing Celtic got from DC United in the USA. That would be okay if the RSA Champions were of a higher calibre than the runaway MLS leaders, and Celtic were playing their first team.

But they weren't, and DC United is several levels above the South African team, but little would you realize this as the result and performance were glossed over as easily as the mad antics of Ricksen were on the plane going to South Africa.

This would be fine if it was an isolated incident but we've seen such terrible incidents such as Rangers fans attacking their opponents team bus with bricks in Spain earlier this year, and today we've seen Le Guen's pre-season planning shredded to pieces with the cancellation of the Bolton V Rangers pre-season game.

Are Rangers fans really that notoriously feared? What has caused this shady reputation to suddenly cause the abrupt cancellation? The answer lies in the incidents of the sectarian songs that Rangers fans were finally called to task for this year. Even David Murray was forced to put his name to a statement demanding it stop, and such dubious organizations as the Rangers Supporters Trust forced to follow follow.

Rangers know they are on their final warning from UEFA and that they will be in serious trouble the next time the so-called fans get up to no good. Maybe the cancelled game in England is an omen.

D.C. - Disasterous Catastrophe

2006-07-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

They say there are no pub teams in Europe anymore. Try telling that to MLS team D.C. United who humiliated Celtic to a level we haven't seen since the horrific mauling away to Artmedia Bratislava.

Thank goodness Celtic don't have a European encounter coming up because we would not perform very well. We are such a poor team that we've regressed from last season. It's unbelievable this could happen.

Isn't WGS meant to be a man who knows about players? The legend was that he would bring in all our new players BEFORE the World Cup began. If that is the case then we might as well hand the SPL trophey to Paul Le Guen's all-conquering French Revolution.

I mean, is it remotely possible we can even score a goal? The pre-season friendly score count under Strachan shows 2 solitary goals and 9 against in two pre-seasons so far. We're currently doing a 0-4-3 and 0-0-3 for this pre-season. Those are depressing statistics no matter how much of a Strachan apologist you are.

So what has Gordon done for us. Firstly, he sells the best goal scorer in Scotland against his wishes and then tries to bring in an aging Dutch has-been on crazy wages. Haven't we learned anything from the misfit Dion Dublin?

Then we have others who seems to be emerging in the dud category, with Miller totally losing it tonight with a horrific tackle which totally deserved the red card it got. Rangers were lucky to not bring this one in. Then there's Caldwell which even has Aberdeen fans laughing at Celtic.

It's worrying that we have to rely of a 35 year old Telfer as being our top defender. We have no steel in the middle of the park with our only saving grace being Neil Lennon holding us together tonight. If that's how we play with 5m pounds rated Petrov, then what will we look like without it?

I am so fearful of us playing in the Champions League. This will be six games of torture and ridicule which surely will be Strachan's downfall. He can't hide for too long now that his pal Big Eck has left Ibrox.

Where McLeash may have had his issues in understanding how to deploy tactics, this luxury will be vacated with the Le Guen factor. I hate to say it but the more this man talks clearly shows he is the genuine article. It has been suggested he may not be of the calibre he was being talked up to be but it's emerging that this is all wrongly placed optimism by Celtic fans.

So where does that leave Celtic? Hearts and Rangers surely have to be too strong for Celtic and we'll be lucky if we can fight it out with Hibs and Aberdeen for the runners up spot in the 1st qualifying round of the UEFA Cup next season.

One last thing, Strachan, if you have any common sense get Chris Sutton back to Celtic Park. You think you need an experienced striker who is a winner then look no further than the man you bombed out the door in such a shameful manner. Rangers fear him and this would be a masterstroke up there with what Rangers did bring back Mark Hately and Richard Gough in past seasons to out fox Celtic.

Go do it. Bring him home.

World Cup Finally Starts: One Winner

2006-06-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

So the charade of the group stages is finally over and the crap teams have been punted so that we're left with the real beginning of the World Cup at the Quarter Finals stage.

Looking at the teams so far, we have the following QF outline:

Germany V Argentina

Undoubtedly the team of the tournament is Germany who have ruthlessly disposed of dud teams such as Poland and obliterated a Larsson inspired Sweden.

Then you have the Argies who were made to look ordinary by the Mexicans after looking invincible in the group stages.

Result: Germany win.

Italy V Ukraine

The Ukraine are crap. Italy are doing the inverse of what they do and will implode after exploding. Neither of these teams deserve to be in the semi finals, but if you were to take the flukiness that is Italy, you've guaranteed they'll get through winning on penalties after 0-0 AET.

Situation: Italy progress.

England V Portugal

England should fear Deco, if he gets the red card rescinded. This observer thinks he should be forgiven even though he is a diving, cheating swine. But, Portugal should fear a resurgent and inspired Beckham who looks like he realizes this is the final big shot. Add in the devestating Wayne Rooney, the world's best player, and you've got a recipe that will sweep Portugal away.

Verdict: England win.

Brazil/Ghana V France/Spain

Brazil will beat Ghana because they're Brazil. Spain will beat France because France are pathetic. Spain could be the tournament dark horses but that's said every tournament then they self-destruct, and this one will be no different. Brazil would beat Spain seven days a week.

Outcome: Brazil win.

This basically gives a semi-final setup to drool over:

Germany V Italy
England V Brazil

Germany V Italy is straightforward as Italy are a poor team. The Polish strikers Germany play upfront are the best there are (exluding Crouch, Rooney, and Owen). Klose is supreme and Poladski is awesome. They are duff at the back but Italy are woeful.

Verdict: Germany progress.

It would take a brave man to bet against Brazil at any point in time, and I'm not one who meekly follows the crowds. Ronaldinho is the instrument of doom with which Brazil will fail. I'm on record highlighting his trickery and ability are great entertainment for a circus but when the real deal starts he's posted missing, as most recently exposed in the CL Final. Ronaldinho had the opportunity to prove us wrong by signing for Man Utd but didn't, and he knows he wouldn't cut it against the best in the best league in the world. When Ronaldinho can't perform then neither can Brazil.

England have such power and immense talent that team spirit is the thing which will bring these things together to beat Brazil. Not only that, but, with all things being equal, statistically it is time for Brazil to screw up and this is their time.

Outcome: England win.

Final: England V Germany

The pressure will be on Germany to such an extent that Germany will finally crack. Rooney hat-trick and another 40 years of hearing about nothing else.

It's England's trophy.

Hail Henrik!

2006-05-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

This European Cup Final in 2006 will go down in history as the Henrik Larrson Final. There has been no finer player to grace the European stage than the Legendary striker who turns everything he touches to gold. Larsson truly is one of the all-time Greats and we in Scotland are blessed to have been able to worship him.

What a Final it was this evening. Arsenal's goalie was sent packing for a deliberate hauling down of the Barca attacker and then Sol Campbell does a Stephen McManus with a bullet header from a corner kick.

It all seems to be going pear-shaped for Barca as so-called World Player of the Year, Ronaldinho, plays a stinker again. I've never seen this player display any consistency which make him anything other than a luxury Barcelona should punt.

This is the very same player who regular readers will know I have highlighted as being a chancer and who never finished on a winning side against Celtic in four chances. The guy is a class one dud.

It was on 60 minutes that the Barca manager, who is well known for spitting on Rudi Vouller in the 1990 World Cup Quarter Final, tossed on oor Henke and changed the course of history. Larsson came up trumps again and provided two assists which grabbed the European Cup from jaws of defeat into a momentous victory. If I was Gordon Strachan I would haul Nakamura in front of a telly and tell him that's what he should be doing.

Larsson is a special talent. He really is. If you consider the non-performers tonight, excluding the Brazilian dud, you had Deco the Diver, the ex-Rangers journey man, and the Barca Captain. These 4 players all handicapped Barca and it took the Genius of Henrik Larsson to turn it all about.

Over and above this, Henrik's MVP performance tonight propelled Celtic into the Champions League group stages in the lofty heights of pot two. What a wonderful achievement for Celtic and Scotland.

Tonight is a victory for everybody. God Bless Henrik. God Bless Barcelona.

God Bless Celtic.

Celtic Swoop For Rangers Target

2006-05-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

Derek Riordan is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from the Scottish youth ranks in recent years. While nobody else is in the class of Irish Internationalist Aiden McGeady, the Hibs player is leading the chasing pack.

So it was with fear and trepidation that the possibility of him going to Ibrox was the type of Scottish signing which hasn't caused anxiety in the Celtic support since Rangers signed Duncan Ferguson for 4.1m in 1993.

We would much rather have seen him exiled to Siberia with his mate Gary O'Conner than go to Ibrox. Then he couldn't come back and terrorize Celtic like he has been known to do. I personally am happy to see Rangers continue to have the current dumplins in their attacking ranks than a proven player of any calibre.

What has turned out to be a slap in the face for Rangers might be the turning point in Gordon Strachan's managerial career. If he can now sort out the defence by dropping Telfer and if he sees something is Caldwell which everybody else hasn't.

Let's hope so as Celtic's European destiny awaits them.

Finally, congratulations to Peter Grant for being the driving force behind a resurgent West Ham Utd. Good to see the Celtic force is strong in English football.

Scotland's Big Guns Qualify For the Champions League

2006-05-04T18:05:00.000-07:00

The UEFA Cup is for Scotland's wee teams.

There. It's said as Hearts slapped down a "resurgent" Sheep side who were on top of the world for one game after thumping Hibs 4-0. Now that the silly season is over, we have Rangers doing what everybody knew and, what Davie Murray's bank manager feared, failing to qualify for Europe's tournament which matters.

The UEFA Cup has plummeted in prestige over the last three season since the high of Seville in 2003, when you consider that Middlesborough are one of the "big" teams in the competition. Well, being Scotland's twin representative with Scottish Division Two Champions Gretna qualifying for Europe for the first time every will be in good company when they enter the UEFA Cup next season.

So, apart from being the laughing stock of a nation, where do Rangers go from here? How do they follow up on something as exceptional as their "Buy A Brick" scheme to compensate for the 20m drop in revenue?

Well, obviously those fine representatives of the Rangers Supporters Trust succeed where the Gers board fail by trying to raise funds for their new manager by selling shares and giving the French man, who is of questionable quality relative to Big Eck, the targetted 5m they hope to raise.

What this makes you ask just who punted whom at the Crisis Ibrox club? It seems that there is less trust in the Frenchman than there was in McLeash. Is this the new low level which poor suffering Bears must deal with? Is it not enough that teams such as Hearts no longer maintain the status quo and now not only seek to replace their masters but actually do?

It certainly asks the question about the calibre of player that Le Guen will recruit. Rangers must wish they had the resource to be able to afford a player of the quality of Chris Sutton. Even after leaving Celtic this guy has so much to offer and would be the type of winner who would haul Rangers off thr floor but he, like Hearts, are out of Rangers's League.

Shameful Performace By Strachan's Team

2006-04-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

What a shocking performance that was today. It is up there with the Artmedia debacle, first Rangers game at Ibroc, and the shocking result in the Scottish Cup. Why does Strachan never learn from his mistakes?

The worst part is that we are now being accused of lying down to Hearts to stop Rangers from qualifying for the Champions League. While in a self-satisfying type of mood it would be humourous to see Hearts qualify over Rangers, the harsh reality is that it will obiterate the European co-efficient because Hearts will crash at the first qualifier.

It might very well be financially rewarding for Celtic to take the full whack, but that is a lesser concern at this time and Celtic's results first, last, and always, must be the key factor.

Don't let any of this end of season gibbersish give justification or excuse to today's result. That team out there had seven felons signed by Gordon Strachan. Some bigots - you know who you are - will still blame the Martin O'Neill glory era for this, but the hard facts are seven of those mugs came from Strachan's very own signing outlay.

We've now not won a single game since the split and we're likely not going to beat any of our remaining opponents. We might have won the league by default but the writing is on the wall, and you simply can't rule out heavy defeats away to Aberdeen, for example, with the sheep clinging to hope more than anything else that they might sneak in - undeservedly - to the UEFA Cup spot by 4th place in the league.

Old Firm Fans Cheer Celtic To League Title

2006-04-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

There is no more beautiful a sight than the SPL Flag back home where it belongs, fluttering in the wind atop Paradise. The Flag is coming home either tomorrow, if a rudderless Hertz, are beaten by a defenceless Celtic, or shortly thereafter.

No matter, tomorrow's game is where all the Old Firm fans will unite to cheer on the Hooped Heroes to their destiny as we'll hump Hertz and the cheer from every OF fans the length of Scotland will be heard for those who listen and those who don't.

It was Celtic Legend Chris Sutton who said Rangers only "won" their two League titles by a goal and a point. Never have truer words been spoken by a wonderful servant to Celtic, a player who will never be forgotten by those who appreciate him, much to the contempt of those who struggle to understand what it's all about.

On the back of Sutton's words, Celtic's triumph tomorrow should be 6IAR. Celtic's domination of the new century is the benchmark which will only be achieved by the next Celtic team.

So onto the Manager of the Year award. Who are these people who think Strachan, after giving Celtic the two most humiliating defeats of their European and Scottish Cup campaigns, ever, would demand he be named for this fine award?

Why would you reward incompetence, failure, stubborness, and pigheadedness with an award? What's up with that?

No, if Strachan could learn a thing or two about Cup competitions, it isn't getting slapped silly by Hibs 0-3 at home, twice (albeit once in the League), but about how you play on the European stage.

As Sutton has highlighted Celtic's position of supreme greatness in the League, so Europe has shown that Big Eck is the Greatest Scottish Manager since Jim McLean in his European successes this season.

For that, there can be no other worthy winner of Manager of the Year than McLeash. He should get the award and can leave Ibrox with his head held high, his dignity intact, knowing Rangers owe him thanks for the infamous seven trophies he got against all the odds, with help from various intemediaries such as FCM strikers, dodgy referees, and missed penalties, but we won't mention those.

One wonders what Paul Le Guen has that Big Eck hasn't? There are already questionmarks over the appointment of the Frenchman who hasn't exactly made it in one of the major leagues of Europe.

He's no Martin O'Neill for sure. He's probably not even in the Gordon Strachan class...and that's saying a lot.

Jinky: Death Of The Legend

2006-03-13T18:36:00.000-08:00

Jinky Johnstone is the Greatest player Scotland has every produced. His skillful ability on the football field is second to none and the off-field humour associated with his career will be sorely missed.

Jinky was one of those whom the older generation call "irreplacable." We've all seen players we think are "greats" but Johnstone was a Great amongst the Greats.

His finest hour coming when Celtic swept Europe aside to become the first British (and only Scottish) to win the European Champions Cup back when the Champions in the tournament name meant just that.

The winner of a pitiful number of Scotland caps meant that the footballing world only got a glimpse of the genius of the wee man, but this was never something that got in his way.

His Legend will never be forgotten and his brilliant skills were suitably saluted by Europe's Greats when they wanted a picture of themselves along side Jinky the night he showed Real Madrid what real skill was all about, in the di Stefano testimonal.

God Bless you wee man.

Big Eck - Rangers Most Successful Manager For A Generation

2006-03-07T17:39:00.000-08:00

Younger readers probably are not familiar with the special place in the hearts of the Spanish police that the supporters of Rangers F.C. have after that special evening in 1972. So any return to the Spanish mainland is greeted with a tear in the eye and a baton to the head. Do the neds never learn?

Anyway, so we had Rangers continuing their European Adventure in the memory of supreme effort which took a leaf from the Book of Martin O'Neill in true celtic spirit to follow proudly in the north of Ireland's favourite son.

This adventure has seen some major heights as Rangers have performed the herculean task of going where no tim has gone before by getting beyond the group stages and remaining undefeated. What a wonderful effort to only rack up one loss in the last 8 games in Europe.

A superb effort which proves that Big Eck is one of Europe's premier manager, especially when you consider he's the poorest manager financially, with Rangers F.C. refusing to giving him funds for player transfers which could have won Gers the Champions League, and ungrateful fans who fail to appreciate how good a manager he is.

Still, Rangers can use this as a building block for next season's Champions League where you welcome Paul Le Guen in your European quest amongst the big teams. That's something to look forward to and your team has certainly evened out any incompetence that Gordon Strachan has caused in blowing the co-efficient out of the water earlier this season.

It's a good job you will get into the CL next year after all your hard work of winning that only one game out of the last eight. Nobody deserves it more and you will be rewarded.

Oh...err...no you won't as you lot are too far away from Hertz.

Never mind. Enjoy the UEFA Cup!

Sheep: Ewe Must Be Joking!

2006-03-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

Since when have Aberdeen ever cared about Celtic fans? Is it a new found caring side from the northernly club which has suddenly having them asking the SFA to postpone tomorrow's game?

Why would they do that as it doesn't give their fans target practice to reign Celtic players with missiles. How else are the sheep yobs meant to practice their so-called sport?

If a Rangers ned can be found guilty and charged for assaulting Stilian Petrov with a paper cup then maybe the SFA should listen to the Aberdeen board, before all their fans are locked up where they belong, because a dusting of snow brings out the worst in an already dubious bunch of nutters.

Paul Le Guen: Saviour or Dud?

2006-02-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

The press would have us believe that the Second Coming at Ibrox is just round the corner with the hottest property in European Football snubbing the elite clubs on the continent to sign on at Ibrox.

Yes, as expected it is all the usual press spin to spruce up the turkey for Christmas but there is undeniable evidence of the Frenchman's managerial ability when his credentials are examined closely.

The first piece of evidence is he's collected three league trophies in France. That is no mean feat when measured against Big Eck's trophy haul of seven. 3 v 7? Which is better? You decide, or is this a rule which can only be applied to Celtic?

Anyway, to support this, we have him winning those trophies in one of Europe's big leagues. Aye, that's what I thought. Not exactly one of the big four of England, Spain, Italy, or Germany, is it?

But the clincher is that he knocked Martin O'Neill's side out of the Champions League in 2003 when Celtic lost 3-2 in Lyon. Then it took a dodgy penalty in the 87th minute to knock out the Hooped Heroes.

So there you have it. Le Guen is the genuine article. He is better than Big Eck.

But only by a wee bit. A teeny wee bit which Gordon Strachan should now fear.

Rangers Guaranteed Victory Sunday

2006-02-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

Celtic are the first club to decide that having a defence is irrelevant. We go to Ibrox with a few players who have no hope of stopping Rangers speedy forward line who will smell blood.

If you add to this the casting aside of any burdens Big Eck was carrying when he decided to leave Gers by mutual agreement, you can rest assured that the confidence and moment will flow through a Rangers team on a mission.

Rangers know they have nothing to lose and this is the game which will kickstart their season. By exiting the Scottish Cup early, Rangers can now concentrate on clawing back points in the League and peaking in Europe to a level that hasn't occurred in a generation.

It's for all of Celtic's negatives and all the positives for Rangers that I can't see anything but a heavy defeat for Celtic at Ibrox. The evidence is all there to see that Strachan is a poor manager compared to McLeash.

Celtic will lose by two clear goals.

Strachan Gets His Man

2006-01-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

There can be fewer inspired signings than this transfer coup less than 48 hours before the transfer window slams shut. Let it not be said that Gordon Strachan is a man who doesn't have his pulse on the transfer market. He is a mover who makes things happen.

When you consider some of the duds that Martin O'Neill embarrassed Celtic with, such as Juninho, Henri Camara, and Craig Bellamy, then you can see the pedigree of the latest recruit to the youthful ranks of Celtic.

Where Celtic were a considered an aging team under MON, Strachan has went for the heart of this problem by recruiting players in their youth, at the prime of their career. Guys like Paul Telfer & Roy Keane join Dion Dublin with years in front of them.

What brilliant work to bring in Dublin as a replacement for the aged Chris Sutton. Moving on a 32 year old is the key to it all. No wonder Celtic are laughing at Birmingham's expense.

And no wonder Celtic are laughing at the rest of Scottish football. We solved our defensive woes with a masterstroke which is up there with the stuff which made David Murray the majestic transfer genius we know and love.

But Murray's duff signings have been overshadowed by a player who is too good for a relegation cert team from The Championship. This is almost as good a signing as Mo Camara.

To think Rangers have had to make do with a dodgy striker with a girl's name signing for them and are still lumbered with scoring sensation Francis Jeffers.

I mean, who the heck would you chose: Jeffers or Dublin?

We must be favourites to go to Ibrox next month and get slaughtered. Our defences average age is almost 150!

Old Firm Manipulation By The Media

2006-01-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

The best thing for the media is to continually pit Celtic and Rangers against one another in a manner which creates conflict, discontent, and bitterness. It allows them to continue to do business by selling newspapers.

The general outline of a move for a player will show both Old Firm teams in for a player; when the player signs there is an account of where the other tried to steal the signing at the eleventh hour; when the first interview from the player occurs the media try to get a quote which alludes to snubbing the other Old Firm club; finally, when the player makes his Old Firm debut then you have the story of how the opposition fans will react to the debut.

This is a tired old routine churned in and out in a story-starved media who need to create stories rather than reporting on facts.

So when you have the likes of Kenny Miller signing for both sides of the Old Firm during his career you have further cranking up of the drama of how the player will never be accepted by the mythical "boo bhoys" or "baracking bears" who are talked about of burning scarves and ripping up tickets outside their club's ground.

It's a pretty sad state of affairs as this is ground which has been gone over and over before and the majority of Old Firm fans couldn't give a damn about the players background.

So, media, stop concentrating on irrelevant events and do something like technical analysis of how the player has developed over his career or report some other facts which fans CARE about.

Kenny Miller's prior clubs should be irrelevant to his future success in Paradise.

2006: Happy New Horror, Celtic

2006-01-09T16:51:00.000-08:00

2006 isn't even 2 weeks old but already Celtic have been plunged into a double crisis after a horror showing at Broadwood Stadium and with the news that some of their top players were caught engaged in dubious song singing.

This writer observed a couple of weeks ago that Celtic's defence was due a gubbing of fair proportions and it's worth saying that Clyde did not disappoint. Not that we can take anything away from The Bully Wee's performance. They outplayed, outclassed, and outfought as lacklusture a Celtic performance as there has ever been.

Celtic met new depths this weekend in this game but some of the over the top reaction and hysterical hyperbole truly needs some people to get a grip. This was a freak result that caused Celtic to get caught cold. They didn't show Clyde the respect they deserved and along with 2 debutants should be a game which is put into proper context.

Celtic have been sinking for several weeks but this one was not the one which knocks the stuffing out of the Strachan juggernaut. That battlefield will be decided in the Scottish Premierleague not is some town whose name escapes me. What's it called, again?

On the topic of this being the worst defeat in the history of the Old Firm, that honour still goes to the game involving Berwick who knocked a team who were to go on to contest a European Final that same season. Celtic are hardly European class, like Rangers are, these days.

So, how about debut bhoy Roy Keane? If this performance is anything to go by, Keano will be an angry guy. As a well-known perfectionist, the Cork man does not mince words when it comes to lethargy. Let's hope he gives some of the Celtic players a rocket up the arse for the Killie game.

Further trauma for Celtic came in the form of a poor quality video which allegedly has John Hartson and Stephen Pearson doing things which they should probably regret. The morally outraged on one gutter level Rangers web forum even orchestrated a campaign to bring the dodgy video to the attention of the Scottish press, who weren't exactly clamouring over one another to print a shocking indictment once they saw the "evidence."

Clearly the outing of Donald Findlay is still fresh in their minds as the video didn't exactly implicate Hartson and Pearson in anything more than heresay and attempts to implicate their actions in some way which is counter-intuitive to most normal folks.

The ghost of Findlay does run deep and fresh in the minds of some. There were even some mad rantings of accusing Aiden McGeady of getting up to similar shennanigans even though he wasn't in said video. Such hatred is not very healthy, folks!

Goodbye To A Wonderful Celtic Player

2006-01-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

The end of an era was reached today when Martin O'Neill's first signing Chris Sutton finally left after 5 and a half years of Glory. Sutton was a 6m pounds capture from Chelsea at a time when his signature was in demand in the EPL, right after Marko Viduka had fled Paradise for a second time.

Sutton's value to Celtic is immeasurable. Where Henrik Larsson is the most valued signing the Scottish game has ever seen, Sutton followed a close second. With him and the Swede is attack we taught Scottish football to fear Us.

When you consider his versatility, he was such an excellent all round player up there in the Roy Aitken mold. The guy could play any outfield position better than those who specialized in it, and he often put his opponent to shame.

In Scotland, Sutton is the player who brought Rangers to their knees and finally extinguished the untruths about their invincibility, ruthlessly exposing them for the pretenders they were in the Legendary 6-2 Humping II. A match which still causes every bear to break out in a cold sweat.

Sutton's arrival in Paradise came at a time where we had reached the lowest level since 1994. We were a broken side who were is severe crisis, but Sutton's confidence and refusal to bow down to those who demanded it was the back bone which hauled Celtic from the depths of Scottish dispair to the very peak of European Greatness.

Where his first goal in the 6-2 mauling of Rangers was the beginning, his flying header against Stuttgart in Germany on our run to the UEFA Cup Final typified the born winner that Chris Sutton is.

The guy is pure class and not afraid to speak his mind, no matter how it upset the Establishment. If it wasn't highlighting that Rangers were there for the taking, it was shining the light on Scotland's little side arrangements of wee clubs doing favours for their Ibrox superiors.

Sutton spoke the unmentionable and didn't know his place like he was expected to. This rubbed the noses of certain individuals up the wrong way but those individuals were not even bold enough to rubbish these issues as they are facts.

So just as a Legendary manager has left us, so to does our best player. All I can add is good luck to him and may be a success at Birmingham City and let's hope Strachan has got it right by allowing him to leave.

Those tims who want to remember Sutton at his very best should search out the DVD published last season in tribute to this brilliant player.

Strachan: The Case For The Defence

2005-12-31T11:31:00.000-08:00

Gordon Strachan has been manager for more than 6 months now and he has been credited with reintroducing the "footballing way" to Celtic again. Revisionists have been quick to make Martin O'Neill the villian of the dark side of WGS's total football strategy.

Where MON built a team on the back of defensive negativities, so it goes, Strachan has made Celtic a free-flowing, football-first entity which has turned Celtic from scrappers into Scotland's equivalent of Barcelona.

So what does the evidence suggest? Not alot. Over the past handful of games, since beating Rangers, we've failed to play any of this alleged silky football and haven't kept a clean sheet against any of Scotland's diddy teams.

Worse still, of these diddy teams, Celtic had to come from behind against the Sheep and Hibs to claim the points and pathetic performances against Livingston, Inverness, and Dunfermline have totally shattered the myth of Strachan's footballing savvy.

MON's Celtic played better football than the evidence shows. What of the mighty victory over Rangers, who are nothing better than mid-table cannon fodder? Even then, they had their eye on progressing in Europe and their own managerial crisis to deal with - which has since been resolved.

Meanwhile Celtic are staggering into 2006 with a team which lacks a defence. How can we fear going to play against a team which has done as much to self-implode as Hearts yet they still manage to be on our tails?

I'll tell you why. It's because Strachan hasn't a clue how to build a defence. He got lucky with signing Boruc as goalie in a position that MON was never able to successfully fix, while letting Broto, who could have filled it, go in a gamble he lost.

Strachan's defensive record is woeful even by Rangers standards (if you consider the Greek dumplin who got sent off for a THIRD time in less than FOUR months last week).

McNamara - Strachan let him leave for nothing. Our most versatile defender and a player he said would be a first pick goes to Wolves.

Telfer - the wrong side of 34 who has no pace.

Camara - as bizarre a signing as you can get who amazingly started to come good. A Burnley reject who is woeful at crossing and can't defend but was learning. Then he's suddenly dropped without reason.

Agathe - Celtic's speedy right back under MON who had precision ability in the tackle but is an outcast under Strachan.

Balde - a dumplin of late.

Varga - Strachan turned a solid, albeit slow, performer into a donkey overnight. MON's ability to coach a player is a talent Strachan doesn't possess.

Du Wei - signed to fill out the reserves. Talked of as being an intelligent player but no evidence of this.

Virgo - another baffling signing by Strachan. One can't help but wonder if there is still the mirth of laughter in Brighton at this one.

McManus - our first choice central defender with most potential who can do the Bosman walk in a few hours.

It's stark. It's obvious. The guy has no clue in the defence. We are shocking at the back and vulnerable everywhere else because of this. We have no strategy in the make up of the backline in anything more than short term cover. But for Boruc we'd be slaughtered at the back, and this can't be allowed to fester when we are exposed to a resurgent Rangers.

Strachan has failed us. Let's hope Roy Keane can save us.

Roy Keane Comes Home

2005-12-15T17:33:00.000-08:00

Roy Keane is a world class player who is a born winner. He is the player who turned Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson from a group of journey-men into the World's Best Side.

The World's Best Side. Understand what that means. The one player who made that possible is Keane. Nobody else. Just Roy Keane. Manchester United have realized their mistake and are staggering from crisis to crisis on a level only Rangers F.C. can relate to.

Keane could have waited another week and signed for Real Madrid, but when Celtic come in for you there can only be one winner. This is yet another example of the stunning transfer policy that Celtic have. Celtic pulled in the like of Bellamy and Nakamura in the last year.

Celtic truly are a team going places.

So just where do we go from here? Do we want to do a Rangers and plan to get into the knockout stages of the Champions League? Celtic have known some heights in recent years getting to the UEFA Cup Final. That is equivalent to getting to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Rangers fans take note. That's the difference between being an also-ran and playing in a European cup Final.

Roy Keane is the foremost player to play in Scotland. He is a world renounded player who everybody knows. He has helped restablish the Irishness in Celtic F.C. which was removed from the club when Martin O'Neill left.

What will likely happen is that Nakamura, who has flattered to deceive, will be dropped and Keane will take his place in a midfield made up of Neil Lennon, Stillian Petrov, Keane, and Aiden McGeady.

The next Old Firm game will be very interesting!

Of Managers And Sheep

2005-12-05T19:04:00.000-08:00

Rangers F.C. stand on the pinnacle of making Scottish history as the first team from this nation to reach the Champions League knock out stages.

Even at our peak of rubbing shoulders with the top teams in Europe, Celtic came within 3 minutes of the same feat. There's no doubting Martin O'Neill's managerial genius but Big Eck is about to go one better that the brilliant man from the Six Counties.

Yet, at Ibrox on Saturday, we saw the shameful scenes as half a stadium of so-called supporters were booing their team and McLeash from the park at full-time. It would have been a full stadium if those already running from the park had hung about, but their tea was getting cauld.

Then today we have some of Murray's press poodles lapping up his latest hyperbole about some big investor about to sink 10m pounds into the first team. Just what on earth is going on at Ibrox that Rangers F.C. would seek to sack their manager and be ready to put a war-chest in the hands of the incumbent for his disposal?

How about Rangers F.C. give the money to their current manager who has operated with dignity and honour while his Chairman, club, supporters, and players have all let him down?

Is it any wonder Rangers are in the gutter?

This could only be made worse by if the club fails to make it through. Surely even Rangers are not that incompetent and will allow their manager to bow out with his head held high.

Meanwhile, just what is going on at Pittodrie?

Here we have a ground which is well known for being a place of terror for Celtic. A few years ago, some ned sheep fans were exposed for assaulting Celtic players with missiles, and then we have a totally nonsensical situation of a blow up sheep floating down gently onto the pitch, and the coppers lose it and pull every one from the Celtic enclosure.

Utterly mad, when you consider the thug who assaulted Celtic Legend Neil Lennon with a coin and there was no attempt to restrain the felon.

But should Celtic players really expect the polis up there to do anything to restrain an out of control fan base?

Rangers ARE European Class - Honest!

2005-11-24T08:16:00.000-08:00

It hasn't gone unnoticed on the continent just how effective Rangers are playing away from home. A couple of Porto fans admitted to me that they were terrified of the calibre "Martin O'Neill"-like qualities in the side.

One can only assume they are referring to the employment of some big guys in the team who know how to throw their weight about and put the boot in, because it couldn't have been a reference to MON's team spirit, motivational abilities, tactical awareness, or just downright fairness.

So to this individual, it comes as no surprise to see Rangers chasing second place where their place amongst Europe's Elite awaits them. In all intents and purposes, Rangers are a European class side who deserve their place amongst the top teams in Europe, especially when you consider the big names who were missing, such as Klos, Prso, et al.

The results don't lie. It's not by fluke that Gers are up there. Taking 4 points from 6 away from Porto shows they deserve their placing of second. They would have sewn it up weeks ago but for the annoying side show of Artmedia Bratislava.

So, the fact they are good enough to go forward in Europe shouldn't be overlooked when compared to their domestic record. They have hit a sticky patch which has seen them slip to the shoulder of Hibernian, but it shouldn't be forgotten that the SPL in probably the most competitive league in Europe. It's certainly better than the one-horse race called the EPL.

Hopefully this result will causes the unacceptable demands for Big Eck's head to subside. McLeash has never let Rangers down and that is proven by the overflowing trophy room at Ibrox. A couple of unlucky results by a Celtic side in overdrive who got all the luck versus they who got no luck shouldn't be overlooked.

Big Eck is the class of Rangers manager who can help Rangers keep Scotland's reputation in Europe, created by MON's Celtic, flying high. Strachan's pathetic failure to get us beyond the 2nd round qualifier essentially shot our co-efficient to squat. Now that Gers have been triumphant this season has not gone unnoticed for said co-efficient, so a run for them will set up the Good Guys for next season's Champions League.

Speaking of Celtic, all this talk of Roy Keane signing for the sacred Hoops is all pie in the sky. Why would we want to accomodate an injury-prone hothead whose better days are behind him? At his peak, Keane was world class and second to none. He is a born winner of the calibre of Roy Aitken but his objectivity is his failing.

Signing him could throw the team off-balance as he'd be looking for a sizeable wage at a time we're meant to be struggling to build our new first team facility at Lennoxtown.

And, anyway, why would we want Keano when we have another born winner in Neil Lennon? Lennon is the guy everybody loves to hate and getting somebody else in who the opposition can hate even more will show them up for the bigots they really are.

Just ask Craig Bellamy.

Strachan Should Fear Rangers

2005-11-09T06:09:00.000-08:00

It's come as no surprise to this observer that when Gordon Strachan is up against the gauntlet he has consistently failed to deliver.

His wins in key games looks like a grave yard that even Big Eck doesn't have to deal with. In three attempts against Bratislava away, Rangers away, and Hertz at home, his record is Played Three, Won ZERO.

Statistics don't lie but those arguing with them do. Rangers have a record in big games under McLeash which is Ecks-ceptional. Even Legendary Celtic manager Martin O'Neill couldn't match the Rangers manager's rub of the green.

So when the view before Rangers fans looks like a wasteland they would do well to remember how much they owe Big Eck. He is the one who broke MON's dominance of Scottish Football, against a backdrop of Celtic being one of Europe's top clubs.

He might have had a tough call this season but, as the hacks have mentioned on many occasions, he does have the best team in Scotland. Even the neysayers at Ibrox on Saturday will be aware of this, despite the goading by sheep fans who pointed out that Rangers played for a draw against them.

That all doesn't matter when it comes to an Old Firm game. These are the must win games Strachan has to come out on top but his dissmal record doesn't suggest anything to be cheerful about.

With the news that the player Rangers most fear, Chris Sutton, being injured Rangers have the upper hand. They come to Paradise with expectations of nothing and know that a win will put the pressure all on Celtic. Rangers have nothing to lose and really won't.

What will occur is that Prso will get a lucky goal and leave Celtic as mugs again. Strachan won't learn a lesson this time, just as Rangers fans never learn. Big Eck is here to stay and he's the best you can hope for.

All this fanciful wishing for a tim like George Burley to come should be eradicated from the thoughts of Rangers fans, as your season is about to start today.

Your future is Big Eck. Get over it.

Celtic Return Home

2005-10-30T09:25:00.000-08:00

Back on top of the SPL where we belong.

Well done to Strachan for almost certainly being the October MVP. I've been one of his most vocal critics but he's managed to keep his heid above water so far.

Well done, too, to Chris Sutton and Neil Lennon. These two players have been the most consistent standouts this season for this observer. Chris Sutton is undoubtedly the best all round player in Britain, and there are few better defensive midfielders in the European game than Lennon.

Also, glad the SPL is so competitive. Is there a more competitive leagus in Europe where you have so many provincial teams challenging the top dog of Celtic?

And what of Rangers? They're fighting it out way down there with the Aberdeens of this world. Big Eck doesn't have a trophy cabinet packed at Ibrox for nothing. Rangers fans should appreciate Big Eck for all the things he's done for them.

Let us hope that Celtic don't suffer a backlash in back-to-back games against the Gers in November. Rangers are at their most dangerous and unmatchable when their backs are against the wall, the refs on their side, and the going gets dirty.

Why Rangers Need Big Eck More Than Ever

2005-10-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

In a week where the spotlight is firmly fixed on Martin O'Neill's presence on the Celtic payroll hanging over Gordon Strachan in Paradise, Rangers have been given a relative free ride by the press in their build up to their game against Strachan's Tormentors, Artmedia Bratislava.

We were assured by footballing experts, such as Hugh Keevins, that the Slovakians were a "pub team." Keevins, speaking on Radio Clyde, said, "They are a pub team." It doesn't get any more damning than that.

So it is to today's game that myself amongst others were expecting a goal feast for Rangers by seeing the Ibrox club give the Slovakians a right good gubbing, to cement their place in pole position for moving to a higher plane of European Excellence than ever Celtic could dream of supporting.

Indeed, with Porto being pretty much out of the picture having been mugged 3-2 by Gers and Bratislava, the thought of them playing Internationale next would be like the undertaker dumping their coffin into the dug out grave.

Going into today, Rangers were in such a commanding position that it was inconceivable that they could mess up as Big Eck had played it right throughout this season's Champions League campaign. Rangers truly were surfing to be amongst the Big Guns of European football.

So to see them crumble to a humiliating 0-0 draw at home is a shock to say the least. There are no excuses tonight as to why Rangers could not put the ball into the back of the net. I counted at least 15 goal scoring opportunities and misses, saves, and bungled sitters are too easy a get out which we never see Rangers fans use as an exit strategy.

What happened tonight is that Rangers are simply a team which has ran out of luck against inferior opposition. Luck isn't a one way street and Big Eck's lucky charm must have fallen by the wayside on the bus to Ibrox before the game.

If I am honest about the Rangers team, Big Eck has had to use his wits to bring in players of the best calibre possible but they are simply lacking the talent to play at the Champions League level consistently. You must be able to play against the diddy teams as well as the big teams. Just ask Internationale's coach about that from game 2.

But Big Eck is working miracles by managing to get Rangers into this level of the competition. He is the best manager Rangers can hope to have at their current debtedness. The pie in the sky ideas of building casinos and building other tiers on top of an already crumbling Ibrox are not the type of fantasy that is going to give Big Eck any more money.

It's not the type of situation that is going to give any Big Eck successor any better potential, either. What Rangers fans should do is be satisfied to be competing at their present level and applaud Big Eck for his working against all the odds and keeping his head above water.

If Rangers did have a blank checkbook to allow Big Eck to go on a spending spree then the only players good enough to survive the cull would be the failed EPL player, Bassa Ned, and the Croation striker Dado Prso.

The rest are well below the calibre of what can allow Rangers to compete. Even Prso is a poor player in comparision to the riches at Celtic. I'm sure any bear would take a winner like Chris Sutton over Prso any day.

But all is not lost, as the failure of tonight and the success of Porto at home have added a further twist to the group, Rangers can almost be guaranteed further twists that can propell them to European Greatness again.

Big Eck has that talent and indescribable abiity to coax that from Rangers as no other would in his position. In other words, McLeash is the absolute best that Rangers can afford in their present climate and he's doing much better than Strachan can achieve with the riches he has managed to screw up.

After all, could you imagine Big Eck losing 5-0 away in Slovakia like Strachan has? Not a chance, only the Strachan-dreamers haven't figured that out yet and woken up to the fact.

Bears: Who Will you be supporting?

2005-10-11T20:25:00.000-07:00

As Scotland didn't really play any international football this week, we can turn our attention to other matters at hand on the international scene.

Most Rangers fans who wear England tops to Ibrox will be cheering on their international team at Old Trafford tomorrow. Including those with gruff Scottish accents.

But, for the confused, who couldn't possibly support Team Celtic International...err...I mean Poland just who will they be hoping win tomorrow?

On the one hand, a proud Scot should never want England to win anything, but on the other hand, you've always got to boo a tim, regardless of whom he plays for.

Just ask John Hartson and the booing he had to go through at the cesspit that is Windsor Park, home of those fine upstanding footballing thugs called Linfield. Hartson did the heroic thing by facing down the bigots who booed and hissed him by taking a penalty in the runout at NornIron park.

But Celtic's two Polish sensations won't have to face such hostilities as death threats in England that have prevented Celtic players in the past from playing proudly for their country, so we can easily look forward to seeing Poland come away with at least a draw from a tim inspired display.

Gers Showdown With Internationale

2005-09-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

Seeing as Celtic don't have any European football to look forward to, so that can only mean one thing. Yes, we get to cheer on the bears as they go on their Adventure to the mighty San Siro.

As if the footballing gods couldn't have swung it more in Rangers' favour, an injury to Nacho Novo has boosted Rangers' chances to take at least a point from the San Siro tomorrow night.

Figo argued that his team are glad that the hitman is missing, but the advantage is with the Gers who will be playing to an empty stadium. History has proven that when a team plays behind closed doors the advantage is almost always with the away team.

Just ask one of Big Eck's likely successors who has seen it all before in none other than Rangers Legend, Maurice Johnston. Super Mo, who said he'd be happy to manage the bears last week, played in a European game behind closed door in Scotland against in Spanish team. The home team lost the tie with Mighty Mo scoring the goal for the home team. Not that it mattered.

This advantage isn't the only one Rangers has. They also have the advantage of playing an aged team that has seen better days. Internationale are not the same team which Celtic defeated to become the first British team to win the European Champions' cup in 1967.

They're not even of the same calibre of the team that narrowly beat Rangers in the Champions League just over 10 years ago. Today's Internationale is a team which lives in the shadow of their great rivals A.C. Milan, who were lucky to beat Celtic last season in the very same venue this time last season.

It's so bad that Internationale doesn't even have many household names who can roll off the tongue. The days of Lentini, Ravanelli, Schillachi, et al, are gone and they fear Rangers more than Rangers should fear them.

It's for that reason that this analyst can't see anything less than a Rangers win tomorrow night. A night which will do Scotland proud if things go right for them.

The alternative is an embarrassing situation of having more arrests than away fans at the game which would be a record not to be proud of. But that won't happen.

Rangers are too good for Internationale.