Footie season 2019/2020

[struth]

Oh and I've seen you avoid this thread one several occasions after bad results so don't cast

[Marco]

Lol - not at all. I might've been busy elsewhere or forgotten to comment, but I can assure you I've never deliberately avoided this thread when Celtic have lost - and besides, there haven't been many bad results this season for me to avoid commenting about!

Actually, I'm tipping Aberdeen to take a point off us (or possibly more) on Sunday, so there you go!

Marco.

[Marco]

I've said before I was finished with Scottish football. It's corrupt.

I agree... But the WORLD is corrupt, so why wouldn't football be, and not just Scottish? Corruption is rife all over, mate. So unfortunately, there's no such thing as fairness, and honesty is also rather thin on the ground.

But I'm sorry, I don't buy Rangers being a victim of bias now more than any other team in Scotland, especially Celtic, as back in the day they had to contend with more than their fair share of anti-Celtic bias, from both the SFA and referees.

Marco.

[rmcin626]

Thanks for your thoughts, guys. I'll comment properly later, particularly on what Grant's written.

I think it's important to discuss your team's performances [and drill down into the details] when things *aren't* going well, as much as when they are. I get the feeling sometimes on this thread that everyone runs for the hills and hides when their team loses or aren't doing well [where has Chris been for example, discussing Man City...?]

Nowhere to be seen, just because Liverpool are running away with the title... For me, that's not being a true fan. There's still plenty to discuss. Sorry, Chris, but it needed saying! You're the OP of this thread too, so I'd have hoped to have seen more from you...

On a side note, until I comment further, does Neil Lennon deserve some praise now for the way Celtic have been playing and the results they've achieved, especially in terms of changing the system now to 3-5-2, and playing Griffiths and Edouard up front? If you remember, I said from day one that Lennon was the ideal man for the job, and I'm being proven right (not that the season is over yet, though). Brendan Rodgers, who?

Robin, has your (misguided) Celtic supporting/anti-Lennon neighbour seen the light yet?

Marco.

Marco, my neighbour is happy that Celtic are winning and currently in a very strong position in the league, however he has not changed his opinion of Lennon. He feels that Celtic are a big club who play in front of 60,000 fans every other week and deserve a big name manager, which Neil Lennon is not.

[rmcin626]

At the moment Celtic are playing better than Rangers that’s the simple fact, they have changed formation to 3,5,2 while Rangers kept with 4,3,3 formation. However Rangers have the 2 wide players continual coming inside which will only works if the full backs are moving into the wide positions and providing crosses into the box, but this has not been happening consistently since the winter break, and Gerrard does not have a plan B.
A few decisions have gone against us but they normally even out over a season, personally not concerned about any bias against us. Although there was nothing wrong with goal scored by Morelos on Wednesday night, bottom line Kilmarnock had 2 chances and scored twice, Rangers had several chances but only 1 goal scored.
I have not watch the Celtic game from Wednesday other than the goals , so can’t comment on how they played.
One thing that does annoy me, and it happened again on Wednesday night, when Kilmarnock scored their second goal and the celebrations by their Manager and staff, you’d have thought they had just won the League.

[Marco]

Marco, my neighbour is happy that Celtic are winning and currently in a very strong position in the league, however he has not changed his opinion of Lennon. He feels that Celtic are a big club who play in front of 60,000 fans every other week and deserve a big name manager, which Neil Lennon is not.

But would a "big name" manager have achieved any more success since taking over from Rodgers than Lennon has?

Highly unlikely, as aside from a couple of defeats this season, there's little to improve on - certainly not in Europe. Plus, he's won every available trophy so far. Rangers signed a "big name" in Gerrard, and look how that's panning out so far, although I do think he'll get it right, but his time is fast running out. If Rangers don't win the league this season, I don't think he'll be trusted to stop us going for ten.

As I said when Lennon was appointed, this is ALL about securing 10-in-a-row, so we needed someone steeped in the Celtic tradition, who *knows* exactly what that means to the fans, and who's been there, done that and worn the t-shirt, to try and deliver it. Therefore, no-one whom Celtic could've afforded, and would've come to the SPL, would've been better equipped for that task.

The "big name" manager will come after Lennon leaves, hopefully after having succeeded in achieving his goals, and to move us onto the next level in the Champions League. If your neighbour can't see that, then I'm afraid he's rather blinkered.

I'll get to your other (excellent) post later, as that's exactly the sort of thing I'd like to see more of!

Marco.

[Marco]

Great interview here from Gerrard, talking about what's going wrong now at Rangers [it's a must read]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51506367

I've always liked Gerrard, as I admire his honesty and winning mentality.He's a genuine guy who deserves to do well - and he will, whether it's as manager of Rangers or some other club.

Views, guys?

Marco.

[Marco]

And what about this on Man City: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51506367



Marco.

[oldius]

If anyone thinks this decision was about fair play, then they are mistaken. If it was, do you really think that United would be allowed to be 700m in debt, with the purchase of the club made with a loan against its value? Do you really think that Liverpool would be allowed to use 50m investment in a stadium that never happened as mitigation to avoid FFP failure? Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been tried and convicted of receiving illegal state funding too and City will take this all the way. It is already going to CAS and it will go beyond that as there is no legal basis for this distorted view of fairness.

For more and a very strongly worded statement, have a look here:

https://www.mancity.com/news/club-ne...club-statement

[struth]

I heard the results of the case before it was even tried, as uefa said they were guilty before it was even looked at in the kangaroo court.
Not sure how your supposed to get a fair hearing that way. Not saying they are innocent of course as i dont know all facts, but when you look are the madrids/barcas of this world who have been basically state aided for years, and man u who were bought on debt to club yet continue to spend, you do have to ask, who is pulling the strings.