starchief

Let's look at it another way: - did Strachan lose the title because he didn't buy in another striker, rather than rely on the injured McDonald or the ineffectual Samaras and van Hooijdonk? - was the team Mowbray built good enough to win the league? - who is the better manager - Strachan, Mowbray, Lennon or Smith? - has Lennon ever won a must-win match? Celtic haven't had a good enough team or manager to win the title. Be good enough to compete, then start whining. "honest mistakes" and "wee sensible debate" = we're so oppressed, poor little us having to cope with being second.

Ok big man. I thought there were two points you were trying to make, the cheating of players and cheating of referees. I just don't buy the second - there are plenty of mistakes in favour of the green-n-white (anything more blatant than Boruc's assault on Dargo? - not that i've seen) But I agree with you in the first point. In fact, I'd blame FIFA/UEFA for that for allowing 'simulation' to be so acceptable that now it's the norm to go down. A foul should only be awarded when an actual foul has taken place, not because a striker wants an advantage of a free-kick. If a team is going to be continually rebuffed whilst the other team cheats, then it's a long slippery road. I applauded the stand Gordon Smith took but then he got criticised for it. It's the biggest blight on the game.

Remember last season? When we were getting all the dubious results? Was that also because of biased referees who were really into the Highlands? You can't have being lucky when it goes for us and being cheated when it goes against. So did we cheat our way to the title? Not in my opinion. Try reffing a kickabout and see how tough any decision to make is.

That seems to be working well for Aberdeen

Aberdeen's squad is rubbish. There are certainly some decent players there but looking at it in terms of a squad it's about as poor as it has been in recent years. Yep, who would be in the back-line for Aberdeen? How many of them could be considered 'decent players'?

"a decent squad"?? I can't see where you're getting that from. For my money, it's a slightly poorer squad than Motherwell's. My gut feeling is they've moved for their own salaries, no matter how much they deny it. What else was Milne saying when he came back to them "oh please, oh please oh please reconsider"? I doubt it. More like "I can go an extra ?xxx a week" The whole 'players out of contract, not the money to keep the squad together' nonsense was used by McGhee. Yet, I didn't see much difference when he went to Aberdeen. I just wonder if it might be McGhee to Motherwell. I think, after a couple of matches, 'Well fans will get used to it. McGhee will go anywhere there's a wage packet or a chance of compensation, plus he inherits a top six squad. Perhaps, then, he won't be so desperate to leave (but he will as soon as a sniff comes along).

Can there really be that much difference in money for player salaries? I'm assuming no difference in money being made available for transfers. Are two old men still that desperate for a little bit more money in their pay packet? I know they'll talk about sleeping giants and all but I'd love to know the real reason.

Thought they might have approached just Archie Knox. There's a bit of history there.

Pardew's a decent manager but not a great one. I don't see a significant improvement, barring investment, than Hughton, who was doing pretty well for a team that was in the Championship last year.

Not sure we need anyone in defence now. We've got Proctor, Innes and Billet all coming back. That's fine. To improve we'd need a class player that's an automatic choice. They're difficult to find. If Duff is, as is likely, going to continue at RB, then maybe a central mid. Definitely a striker. Only Sutherland can play the Rooney role. Other than that, moving the likes of Odi, Gil or Foran up would mean completely changing our game style.

Martin Jol is being strongly suggested. Coincidentally, he quit at Ajax today.

They sent the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Prince William of Wales and one of the best footballers in America and yet they didn't choose Britain, Northern Ireland, Wales, America...looks at notes... ...England. It must be a fix. Mind you, probably best it's held over in Johnny-Foreigner-Land. They're such sore losers

I think he'd go to Ipswich. There's a lot of money behind them, which is why Keane isn't being looked upon favourably. But Keane is still there and Butcher would only be one of a number of targets, so no need to fret about something which has every chance of not happening.

What are the facts then? That seems to be how it's reported.

Sure, managers have left us (and other teams) before after claiming they wanted to stay but what exactly do you want to hear? That he doesn't enjoy it here? That he can't wait to get away? At the moment, he's making long-term plans and saying he wants to stay. That's as good as we can get surely?

For the life of me, I can't see where you're getting this from.

Brew should say the same thing as Terry Butcher used to say: "what pace? I never had pace!"

Marvel or DC?

I wanted England to win it, so I could go see a few matches but, to be honest, I felt Russia was the right candidate. A big footballing nation, with money that has never hosted the tournament. Perhaps they bribed, perhaps they didn't but England has no automatic right to believe they should be in pole spot. I see no reason why Russia shouldn't be the host - only reasons why it should be. Qatar? Well, I thought it should have been Oz but Qatar did have more going for it than you'd imagine. Football in the Arab world is big. Qatar will promote the game right across the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi etc. They also have the money to do it properly. That said, it really should have gone south. Mind you, a lot of the sporting federations were against the WC coming as it collides with Aussie Rules. Perhaps it was that lack of support that did it for them?

Looked on their message board and they mostly seem to want Steve Clarke - who's never had any managerial experience and knows little of the Scottish game. No-one wants John Hughes as he did very well most of the time at Falkirk, until towards the end of his reign or his 4th place finish in the SPL. Crazy! And I noticed some Celtic fan wanted Strachan to take the job as he did a terrible job by dismantling MON's team over three years the stupidity of some supporters!

I'd certainly want it to be held in England. Might get to a few matches. Really though, Russia might well deserve it. New frontiers and all that.

I'm hoping Terry may have learned from 'Well. A top six or even Europe might boost his salary/budget. If he does, well, McCoist might be looking for some help next year. If he goes to Aberdeen, he might get a salary top-up but risks another relegation on his CV, a poor squad that needs huge improvement, the threat of the sack and no better than short-term survival before a massive rebuild with no cash. Doesn't look great to me. Can't see Strachan coming back. Despite Boro, his stock is still higher. I'd like to see Robbo be given the chance. I suspect it might be Gus McPherson or Billy Reid - grafters designed to avoid relegation. Both Yogi and, dare I say it, Calderwood (Jimmy that is) would be good longer term catches. The latter would involve a little more than a slice of that delicious humble pie though. Anyone ever thought Willie Miller was especially humble?

I awaiting Mark coming out with: "The weather conspired against us. The players were itching to avenge the last Celtic game. If it wasn't for Thor and his storm, I really believe we would have turned the corner on Saturday...and you have to give me credit for that."

Oh right.

He's the d'Artagnan. Talking of musketeers....when you think of the book/film of Alexander Dumas, how do you imagine them fighting? It's with swords, isn't it? And yet... Musketeers. MUSKET-eers. Surely then, they should be gunners