Row S

TB is not the only one talking about conspiracy theories against their team. Have you seen the quotes from Vladimir Romanov in today's Scotsman follwing the defeat to Killie last Saturday and subsequent reports of indiscipline to the SFA?

In a statement posted on the club website yesterday, Romanov branded Scottish football a soap opera ?where lead roles are played by the teams from Glasgow, the national association, league, media, referees, and the teams who agree to participate in the show?. He lambasted the state of the game in this country and cast doubt on his continued involvement with Hearts, despite his provisional plans for a new stadium.

?Entrepreneurs and various large businesses turned their backs on that sort of football and left this national heritage to the mercy of its own fate,? Romanov said. ......... ?And no one is interested in what?s going on. This is why I think that there is no point is spending millions to watch someone else?s show.? ...........

Romanov, meanwhile, signed off with a withering assessment of the Scottish game. ?We watch football degrading in its homeland,? he said. ?There are practically no high-quality Scottish players left, Scottish clubs don?t play in Europe and the national team doesn?t get into the finals of championships. Scottish football ranks alongside Armenia, Panama and Burkina Faso.?

Obviously this is all a bit of a smokescreen because of the flak Romanov has been getting over non payment of players' wages. I also think he is as much to blame for the state of the game by the way he runs Hearts and the poor PR. However, I have to agree with his comments about Scottish football being a soap opera, which was cleary demonstrated by the actions of one Crawford Allan at the TCS last Saturday.

Whatever the combination it should not include Foran in the starting XI. He needs a rest to get properly fit.

What a disgrace that Levein has ignored the fantastic form of Ryan Essson and opted instead for two keepers who have spent most of the season either injured or on loan to a lower league team.

The full Scotland squad for the matches against Wales and Republic of Ireland on 25 and 29 May is as follows: -

Goalkeepers: Matt Gilks (Blackpool), Allan McGregor (Rangers), Iain Turner (Everton)

Defenders: Phil Bardsley (Sunderland), Christophe Berra (Wolves), Gary Caldwell (Wigan Athletic), Stephen Crainey (Blackpool), Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers), Russell Martin (Norwich City), Steven Whittaker (Rangers), Danny Wilson (Liverpool)

Midfielders: Charlie Adam (Blackpool), Barry Bannan (Aston Villa), Scott Brown (Celtic), Kris Commons (Celtic), James Forrest (Celtic), James McArthur (Wigan Athletic), James Morrison (West Bromwich Albion), Barry Robson (Middlesbrough)

Forwards: Craig Mackail-Smith (Peterborough), Chris Maguire (Aberdeen), Ross McCormack (Leeds United), Kenny Miller (Bursaspor), Steven Naismith (Rangers)

The big question now is will TB be able to attract new players up here to fill the big gaps in the squad? No doubt he's got a few targets but things are getting tougher out there and with a bare squad and the inevitable new SPL set up we will struggle to stay in the top flight never mind break into the Top 6.

Subs - Tuffey, Innes, Golabek, Duff, Morrison, Odhiambo, MacDonald

Will be there along with my RGU student son. First and last away game of the season for me.

If there is ever someone you need to give their heart and sole against Aberdeen tomorrow it is Russell Duncan.

I see from the fixture list that the St Johnstone game KO time is now 7.45pm. Was it not the case when first announced by the SPL that it was to be 2pm on account of it being televised on ESPN? What is the official line on this and is it still being televised?

Delaying kick offs is nothing new and questions have to be asked as to why this wasn't considered or why the inspection wasn't delayed until 11 am. I remember a few years ago being kept out of the ground until about half an hour before a cup replay aginst Partick one wet Wednesday night whilst the pitch inspection was carried out.

There have been many reasons given all round the country for years - e.g. away team bus delayed in traffic or broke down, floodlight failure, snow on the pitch, turnstile malfunctions and even crowd riots. If this game had been delayed until 12.30 or 12.45pm we would have thought nothing more of it and there would have been no clash with the 3pm kick offs elsewhere. Okay, so the Cellic fans would have got more bevvied in the pubs than they usually are but at least the game could have been played and we wouldn't have this prolonged thread and our own support getting a bit angry with each other.

This is so annoying. If the game had been scheduled for 3pm it would have been on.

Another chance of ?80k gone. Celtic even flew up for the game and "roughed" it again in the Kingsmills Spa boutique.

just heard terry's interview very unhappy that the defender didnt go for the penalty and then very unhappy for the free kick to celtics winner and he talks about the top players going down to easily well from what i saw it was same old celtic but que sara we werent disgraced and another night richie would have buried that sitter in the 1st and sutherlands shot wouldnt have been tipped round so i think we did show that we can match with the best just wasnt our night

No luck at all and a p1sh ref to boot. Can't understand why the Sellic defender wasn't even booked never mind sent off for giving away the penalty. :irritated: :irritated:

The 4-5-1 formation worked quite well today so I'd go with

.....Esson.....

Duff, Hogg, Tokely, Munro

Hayes, Cox, Duncan, Doran or Ross, Foran

.......Rooney......

Gillet is back in training but not match fit. He could have been on the bench today and had the last 15 mins but TB must've decided to hold him back. Shinnie likely to be out for rest of season after his illness and op.

I'm thoroughly fed up of watching home defeats this season. I can't remember a season when we lost so many at home. What happened to the old fighting spirit we used to see at the TCS? It wouldn't surprise me if we lost all the remaining games before the split and Celtic will have nowt to fear in the cup game as well.

Once the announcements about cars blocking emergency exits or with lights left on or windows left open have been read out, there might just be time to squeeze in a wee dedication for Iona's birthday.

What exactly is the connection you imply between fans standing and seats getting broken?

I'm not saying that this happens every time fans stand and I know from experience of attending most ICT matches over the last 16+ years it poses no problems. However, in this situation and at the Elgin game a few weeks ago, as the actions of the away fans went unchecked they got more and more boistrous to the point that they then started to stand and jump up and down on the seats. Personally I have no problem with fans standing on the ground in front of the seats as long as they are not disturbing those who choose to sit or get completely out of hand as these Saints fans did on Saturday.

I see from today's Courier that a small element of away fans damaged seats on Saturday. To a degree I blame the stewards because they allowed the away fans to stand and not for the first time this season. Now when it comes to the home end our fans are usually made to sit down. Similarly, when you go to McDiarmid Park the Saints' stewards make you sit down. So why didn't our stewards wade in earlier and sort things out before the seats got damaged, "over-exuberance" or otherwise?

FFS! A bit late in the day too. Our south based fans and Arabs will have set off well before now.

What heavy rain? It's been relatively light here most of the day and as said above has stopped. Is the forecaster based down in soggy Fort William?

I could name at least two in the current squad that have failed to make the grade but that would just be a red rag to a bull.

Fair point, Scotty. May just have to watch the highlights later.

Does anyone know if the St J game is going to be broadcast live on one of those obscure TV websites today?

The lunch-time kick off (a pain in the ass), it was on TV and Huns fans based in Inverness who normally get tickets for the "home" end would rather watch it in the comfort of their local pub or armchair.

Great performance guys. 4 going on 10-2. I thought Rooney could have scored 5.

I also thought it was funny that Riordan was getting pelters from his own fans for his crosses. Then when Murray left the pitch he gave the captain's armband to Rankin, which was about the fourth time Riordan threw his toys out the pram.

BTW, Derek Adams. Who is he again?

Our performance and the last gasp draw for the Tangerines at Darkheid gives us great hope for causing an upset next week and preserving our unbeaten away run.

Row S--you do seem a tad heated over the characters of the Leith conglomeration.It's a nice place, I stayed there for 6 years. begorrah.

Pray tell--what about them has bothered you so much?

Have you fallen foul of the Leith Police perhaps? In the mold of "The Leith Police Dismisseth Us."

Nothing so sinister Scarlet Pimple. I'm originally from the other side of "the boundary" (Edinburgh) and a Jambo by birth. So H*bee hatred goes hand in hand. I also worked on conversion of many of the Leith slums in the 70s and saw a lot of bad things. Some parts of Leith are okay now but there are still places like the Banana Flats, Salamander Street and Fester Road that I don't like.

All mouth and no trousers as usual from Adams. A bit like most of the folk he's gone to join in Leith.

As well as pinning the article up in the dressing room Terry should take the guys on a bus trip to Dungwall and back on Saturday morning just to remind them of what they are not missing but also to get into the 'away' team mood to tan the hide off those Leith scumbags.