starchief

Not by nature, no. Depends on the players he's got available. Remember that great Hearts team he had with Paul Ritchie and Davie Weir at the back, Colin Cameron and Neil McCann on the wings, plus Stephen Adam up front? Falkirk as well were pretty good to watch. In fact, Killie were too for a good while. I suspect it might be Motherwell. Billy Brown wants to stay in the area (that's why JJ turned down Aberdeen).

Made lowly Falkirk a respectable SPL club. Almost won the SPL with Hearts. Won their first silverware in decades. Got Bradford fighting, even if it was no use in the end (and no-one managed any better after it), then got virtually bankrupt Killie into the top 6 a few times, despite wage cuts (for both him and their players), staff cuts and players being sold for millions but without money being re-invested. He also turned down a move to Aberdeen to stay with Killie. So much for loyalty. For me, he's been the best Scottish manager in recent years (by that, I mean after the MacLeans and Fergusons had become established).

I don't think it's fair to compare a still-developing country subjected to sanctions to the world's only real superpower. Try comparing it to Venezuela, Brazil or some other Latin American country of similar development.

COME ON THE PHARAOHS!!!

No point having the likes of Barrowman and McBain (possibly even either LDZ or Golly too) sitting out matches. They're nowhere near getting a regular run, so it would benefit everyone if they left.

4. Thought some people might have gone for Istanbul (not Constantinople)

Is this a joke? What record of success has Malpas got? Even when he's taken over at successful clubs, he's done badly, so I can't see him doing well with a failing team. I think Mo would be a very unpopular decision.

Huh? ;)

I'll play for free if they need anyone! Seriously, if the board turns the club over to the fans, I'll donate but not to a commercial organisation that won't dip into it's own pocket.

Actually, I wasn't seriously suggesting DC was a Celtic fan. I had hoped he was Inverness. Given that the merger was well over a decade ago, I thought all that previous allegiances rubbish was far behind. I mean, given the amount of OF boards out there, why bother posting on this one if you don't support ICT? I thought it was a bit off that, because someone rated Boyd (as well as McDonald) that meant he must be a Rangers fan. It's just insulting. I rate Boyd. I think he's the best Scottish finisher since McCoist. And yet...I also rate Ross McCormack and James McFadden* but have zero allegiances with Motherwell, Cardiff or Brum (apart from wanting Scots to do well down south). I even rate James McArthur but that doesn't mean I secretly wanted the Accies to avoid relegation least season. *in a 3-pronged attacking midfield with Riordan, plus Boyd up front

Quelle surprise, an embittered Celtic fan that can't appreciate someone rating the top scorer in Scotland, a NI striker with an amazing international record and choosing to ignore the comments made appreciating your top scorer in Scott McDonald. For what it's worth, I probably think iamthecaptain1 is an Inverness fan but then, I don't think everyone really supports one of the Old Firm secretly (I've been accused of both, and as a Hearts fan too, when in fact I'm none of those). I suspect DALNEIGHCALEY has most down as either as blue or a green at heart. Sad really but quite typical.

Without looking... 1. Craig Brown 2. I'll try Mancini 3. Ian Black 4. Probably someone that made very few appearances, so...Morais? 5. No idea.

Unbelievable! They both play for the same team. One scoring way more than the other one. Top scorer for every team he's played in, despite being dropped numerous times for the 'goal machines' of Cousin, Darcheville, Lafferty and Miller. Kenny Miller works a hell of a lot more than Gary Lineker too but I know who I'd want in my side. It's fair enough to want Boyd dropped for what he did with Burley but to say Miller will score more than Boyd flies in the face of reason.

The guy's still coming back from injury, so can't blame him too much for being so rusty.

Love darts. Me and Stephen Fry. Must give the Sun a go sometime too. I'm sure Stephen reads it all the time. Is archery a sport? Don't see too much difference between aiming with a bow and aiming with a hand.

If it was up to me: no career politicians! You get a job, run a business, face unemployment, have to lay workers off. Whatever. Life experience comes before a political career. As for Labour getting something right... I see a few months before an election, without really any time to elect a new leader and just as the polls say Brown/ Labour is picking up points, a couple of ministers decide this is the right time to force a leadership challenge. Unbelievable! Political suicide. Anyway...Muslims (especially British Muslims) have the right to protest every bit as much as anyone else. Islam4UKdefinitely have a point over killing of innocents, a bit like the BNP has a point over immigration, but behind the facade of these parties is an odious stench of racial and religious hatred. What these extremists want is race war. Don't fall into the trap of believing they're doing it for the innocents in Afghanistan or the good of Britain. They want war! That way the non-extremists (i.e. the vast majority, probably you an me) are dragged into hating someone that really doesn't mean any harm at all.

Well said that man. I certainly couldn't go back to supporting St Mirren.

Rubbish. What about Gary Lineker, Ian Rush, Andy Cole, John Aldridge, Dimitir Berbatov, Ian Wright. None of them were any use outside the box. And your point is caller? Would you turn down Wayne Rooney on that point? Leave the personal insults to the playground. McFadden? A work horse? I actually support Everton and most Toffee fans were delighted to get rid of him as he added so little due to his poor work-rate. Boyd and McFadden are completely different types of players. Peter Beardsley was a far more skillful player than Gary Lineker that would drop deep and pick up. Beardsley was far more hard-working too, whilst Lineker could barely pass the ball, couldn't tackle and rarely took players on. But he did something else. He scored regularly. Looks easy but it's the toughest job on the pitch. Besides which, McFadden hasn't played striker regularly at club level in years. There is no-one that comes anywhere remotely near Boyd's goal-scoring record. To not put him in in favour of strikers that do their best work outside the box but rarely score is crazy.

Seems likely Coyle will be joining Bolton from Burnley http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/low/football/...ers/8439458.stm I can't see this as anything other than a bad move. It's going to be a real struggle to keep Bolton up. Sure, it'll also be a struggle to keep Burnley up too but if he does, or even if he makes it competitive, then a better job will undoubtedly come along. If Bolton are relegated though, that's just a failure. Also, how does he tell his players to keep battling away, when Coyle's quite happy with ditching his players midway through a season when the going gets a bit tougher?

That's not really based on anything though. Boyd scored more goals in the SPL at both Killie and Rangers than Fletcher did, when he was at Hibs. That suggests to me Boyd is a better goal-scorer. I do wish he would go to Brum and prove the doubters wrong. I think he's the best finisher Scotland's had since McCoist. Put him in a team that doesn't play backs to the wall whenever there's a remote chance of a draw and he would score. But Walter Smith is very defensive minded against the better teams (and I'm not saying that's wrong of him), hence the lack of goals.

I'm also in favour of summer football. It would be more pleasant to watch, better for players to play and train, plus boost our chances of getting further in Europe and the World Cup/Euro Championships (if we ever qualify!). The argument about fitting in the World Cup etc is nonsense. Plenty of other countries do it. Follow a programme similar to Alex's suggestion, then no problem.

Before this season I would have agreed but he is doing a brilliant job for Birmingham by sitting in front of the defence and allowing Lee Boywer to break forward hence he has started scoring goals Football fans do have very short memories. Ferguson was chosen above Paul le Guen mainly because Fergie was playing out of his skin despite the poor tactics and terrible signings. Then Ferguson dragged Rangers by the teeth to the UEFA Cup Final, where Advocaat targetted the midfielder as the main threat. After being out with a serious injury, Barry then came back but played poorly alongside Mendes. I know people want to believe Ferguson has played poorly for Rangers for years but it's just not the case. The reports are online from the periods mentioned if you want to check.

Leeds leading Man U 1-0 on AlJazeera Sports +5. Looking well worth it too.

Disallowed goal by Celtic. Should have stood but, to be honest, I'd have been more surprised if a challenge on the 'keeper hadn't been penalised. It's unfair but always happens.

I support neither but, with the form Rangers are on, I can't see beyond them. Especially with Celtic's only striker in McDonald being out.