starchief

@MissICT What do you mean by "The Disowned Caley Fan!" (oh, and a Leg End isn't quite as good as a Legend)

An away score draw is always a great result in Europe. So, on that basis... ...Rangers!

Relax. It's just people having a bit of fun and optimism. I'd like to see us get Spartak Moscow so Tokely can 'remind' McGeady of SPL tackles. Or maybe Dynamo Bucharest to show Marius what he's missing.

Um...no-one mention East Fife's result. Nae luck Robbo.

I presume McGregor probably started moving off his line, so Hayes didn't do the normal thing of cutting it back. Perhaps he should have but I can't really blame him. Is it just me or does Adam Rooney look a real player? I don't mean a decent lower end of the SPL player but if Goodwillie is the best young Scottish talent outside the OF, then Rooney looks a more complete player. His holding up play is spot on, plus he scores. The sky's the limit.

Manchester United 0-0 Rangers Rangers 1-1 Valencia Celtic 1-3 Rangers Rangers 1-1 Inverness I'll settle for that company

Wow! Never expected that!

My guess is: Esson McCann - Tokely - Munro - Shinnie Duff - Duncan Hayes - Ross - Foran Rooney

I see Hibs have gone for a potentially 4-6-0 line-up. Maybe they'll push Riordan up front?

Disappointing to see no McCain in there . I guess he's had his chips

Always thought Duncan's searing pace would be useful bombing down the right-wing

Yeah, you're right. What has McManus ever achieved? Apart from the 3 Championships and 4 Cup winners medals as Celtic's captain. I know everyone basically picks Scotland's best players then gives them a kicking (how many times has Davie Weir, probably our best centre-back for the last decade, been called a cart-horse for instance) but he was the backbone of the team, with the meanest defence in Scotland (and a GK that wasn't always there) until Mowbray decided to 'improve' the team. Just like Gary Caldwell (player of the season at the time), BTM knocked their confidence for six, couldn't play to their strengths and destroyed the team. Ki cost over ?2M to be a bit-part player (who would you have? One Ki or two James - McCarthy and McArthur - with cash left over?). And he's still not as good as Robson. Who would you rather play for Scotland (if eligible) - Ki or Robson? Same with McManus and Rogne. The former Celtic players both times for me. I watch M/boro quite a lot. Three players I thought didn't deserve any blame for WGS getting sacked were McManus, Robson and Wheater. Willo Flood also did well but too many injuries for any real assessment.

I'm not too sure it is the coaches fault. We seem to have more than our fair share of Scottish coaches and managers doing well in England. It's not everything and I'm sure coaching can be improved but I don't see that as the major problem. In the past (but I'll use names of today, rather than Division 1 etc), Don Cowie, for instance, would not have chosen a bottom Championship club over a top SPL club. There was a natural progression. Andy Dorman, the same. Kevin Thomson, potential captain of Rangers, wouldn't have gone to a mid-table Middlesborough. It's not just about these players though. Their lack of ambition (and I can fully - or at least partially - understand their reasons - cash!) means many less able players are thrown in too early. They don't have a chance to develop alongside better players, and then leave themselves for another unambitious club. Imagine a league where, when not needed by the OF, Robson, Morrison, Dorman, Adam, Webster, McManus, Cowie etc etc went to Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, Hearts and so forth. This instantly beings up the ability of younger players in a way that coaching never could. 20 years ago, Aberdeen would have been able to attract a midfield of Hartley, Cowie and Adam. That would instantly benefit Fyvie or Pawlett. Instead, these guys, barely out of school, are supposed to be the stars of a European chasing team. I look forward to Henry McLeish's report. He's our last hope for a long time. Gordon Smith had some great ideas but the SFA structure was too wrapped up in preserving itself (really, he should have gone to press sooner with a 'these dinosaurs have to go or Scottish football dies' speech - his only chance of winning). The SPL is too scared about it's own cash flow to look longer term. I just hope McLeish's is better than his proposals for youth development (?1/2B during a financial crisis for a hobby - what nonsense!). I've posted my solutions to death but summer football would allow Scotland to have a loan of some players plying their trade in England for at least part of the year, whilst being of interest to Sky/ESPN/BBC etc, when the EPL is on hiatus.

The Alf Tupper method of training for those of you who remember the Tough of the Track.

Neither Craig Brewster nor Craig Dargo were much cop either in their teens. I wouldn't write off McAllister yet. We should definitely keep our eye on him.

Celtic should do everything they can to swap Rogne for McManus, Robson for Ki and McDonald for some other poor player BTM signed. I'll bet this ends in tears.

He got a hell of a lot of criticism for someone so young when he was here. This is where the reputation buttons would have become interesting, so we could see just how vocal the anti-vote was. He's doing brilliantly and I certainly wouldn't be against us taking another chance on him. Still a young lad remember.

Terry Butcher, the supposed failure of a manager, did wonders at Coventry. It all went downhill when he left. If Drinkell wasn't in his plans, then so what? It happens.

Definitely no penalty. Shocking dive by Broadfoot. Referee should have consulted his linesman (but then, isn't that what Celtic fans were complaining about last week?). Better team undoubtedly won. Lennon really needs an experienced figure in his management team. Surely before that, someone could have told him that having more strikers means being able to convert more chances but having more midfielders means being able to create those chances. Perhaps also, it would have stopped this united nations of football. Better to have a core of UK players that can be relied upon. Juarez might have all the talent but if he doesn't have the heart, what's the point? Loovens to blame for two goals. Didn't attack that first one and ended up with an unlucky own goal. Then he failed to mark Miller for the second. After that, was really stupid to push Miller in the mouth right in front of the ref. McManus might not be great but he was better than Loovens. Having Samaras as your main striker with two poachers behind him isn't going to work against the better teams, where the big punt up won't work. McGinn and McCourt are match winners. Perhaps they don't have the engine (very poor after all this time from McCourt) but should be used more effectively.

A lot of wild challenges. That Stokes one was absolutely dreadful, although I thought McCulloch got the ball for his yellow. I know what you mean but I won't hope for any bad injuries myself. I don't want to wish that upon anyone. A few suspensions will be fine. Surprised Maloney's gone straight off. Surely just a bit of ice would have done it? I look forward to seeing Weiss in the 2nd half (I wonder if he'll come on for Papac at HT). He's probably the most entertaining player to watch in the SPL. Not always effective but good to watch. Ah no, it's Broadfoot. Well, I always preferred Whittaker in midfield. In fact, I think he should make that his position. Not a big fan of Majstorovic or Loovens. I wonder if Beattie might fancy his chances?

A lot of rubbish this supposed anti-Catholic bias. Celtic get more than their fair share of decisions. In the last match, when Scott Brown was sent off and Celtic were going crazy, why no comment about when Hinkel brought down a player in the box earlier in the game? Why go crazy about decisions that went for Rangers against St Mirren, when Boruc had that disgraceful tackle on Dargo against the same team. Why no admission by Celtic that, actually, against Dundee Utd, the ref was proved by TV right not to award a penalty against Pernis? Paranoid whiners that don't realise just how many decisions they get.

I'd keep it. Too often, on things like P&B, those with the loudest voices aren't necessarily those that have the most reasonable views. I think this actually prevents bullying more than promotes it. Look how much taunting Renegade had to endure before the dots - yet now, he has a positive reputation. If someone is being overly critical, like they were of Nick Ross, there was little way of knowing if that was the majority view or not. Now, it's easier to see whether most think that criticism is justifiable or over the top. And if you're not interested (I would doubt anyone was seriously bothered) in what people think of your views and those of others, what on Earth are you doing on a forum?

WTF?!?!?!?! All he needs to do now is to stop being a distinctly average player.

Watching it myself. Real high tempo stuff. Thought the Europeans weren't supposed to play like that. Naismith and Miller should have done better but what about Alan McGregor? Absolute top of his form. Not many better keepers around these days. Reminds me of the IT Crowd though: the trouble with Valencia is they try to walk the ball into the net (did you see that ludicrous display last night etc etc)

Already posted mine in depth but for me: - 2 seasons in a year, straddling a summer break (and missing the depths of winter too) - a 10-12 team SPL with 12-16 SFL - Regional leagues below that. Therefore, you get twice the amount of silverware in a year, plus, if your team is relegated, a chance to get out of that sooner rather than later. You also only play a team twice a season. Reduce the number of 'historical' clubs like Stenny or Alloa, where the population has moved away. These stop other clubs from being able to remain full-time by bringing little support. If a club that wants to remain full-time drops to SFL2 or even 3 these days, it's a bitter struggle to have any ambition. Just increasing the amount of meaningless mid-table games won't add any more excitement. That's not radical enough. In fact, that's why the SPL was introduced all those years ago (before it was just the initials natch).