Council Juice

Anyone who is genuinely committed to representing their country rather than a self serving egotist with much less ability than he apparently thinks he has who believes that he has the right to pick and choose what games he is prepared to play and which manager he is willing to serve under ! Faddy springs to mind. So many times he tries to do the hero thing again. Beat an extra man, take on the extra shot. Ultimately surrender possession. Sometimes he over does it. It is blatantly obvious he actually sees himself as Scotlands talisman. He has his limitations, like ALL Scotland players have. Riordan is every bit the same as Boyd in that he has probably has less of a work ethic, a slighter frame. Put him in a Scotland shirt and we are down to 10 men. Also doesn't do it v the big teams. Kevin Kyle - Has a physical presence, little else other than an uncharacteristic purple patch at end of last season beginning of this. Garry O'Conner - any more professional than Boyd? Scores goals? gets a game?! No. Leigh Griffiths - Give the guy time. He scores on a regular basis in the 1st division only. Think you'll find thats even lower than Boyds current level. Sitter- ? Faddy - yeah ok, but more a scorer of great goals than a great goal scorer. Lee Miller - doesn't even deserve the credit of an answer. No. To a degree in recent years I'd agree that there are not many poachers (other than maybe Van Nistelrooy, who never scored a goal outside the 18yd box for Man Utd) who succeed. But I'll harp on about David Healy - A poacher who can't score in the premiership, no wait can't get a game in the premiership but is feared at International level. This is because Northern Ireland are geared towards working hard to create chances for him. And it is evident for all to see that it works. Fair enough Boyd only scores hatfuls in Scotland, but it is something. Miller is inconsistent in Scotland but is a 1st team pick. Fletcher plays well in England for a lesser team and gets the odd goal. Faddy is a creative player for Birmingham, not a forward. They are ALL limited players. They ALL have weaknesses but they also ALL have attributes. I think everyone accepts that Boyd aint a world beater, but neither are Scotland and we need anyone who is willing to play for the team. As far as Im concerned the past is irrelevant. If Levien picks them. I'll support them.

They should just not play cricket.

Boyd is a naturally gifted finisher. Which are few and far between is Scotland. In fact he's probably the only one in Scotland capable of playing at international level. Whereas Faddy, McCormack and Fletcher are probably the more gifted players, we need options. and i agree that whilst being a tad cocky, we need a bit of that in players. We have too many timid, shy pros who dont want to stand and be counted and would rather just go about their business without fuss.

To Be honest i dont think I've ever been on pie n bovril. At least not that i can remember. And if i have then it can't have been overly memorable because I certainly cant remember it. Say Leeds were to get ?3m for Beckford, I reckon some of that would be enough to get Griffiths. Sadly it might not be too good for teams like ICT as Dundee would have big bucks to spend and Rooney would be a likely candidate to replace the aformentioneds goals

Perhaps Leeds are eyeing him as a replacement for Beckford, who is looking like moving on for about ?3m (Newcastle currently are the front runners)

I'd welcome that. Do you think Rob Snodgrass had a word with the coach after their time at livvi together perhaps. "look that wee lee is a crackin player. You should buy him. Plus Id rather ICT got back to their rightful place among Scotlands elite"

Im pretty sure if you took Larssons goals, 90% would be in the 18 yard box. Dont Imagine Boyd would be too far behind. I think its folly to compare the 2. The only real comparision is that Boyd has scored just more in Scotland. Larsson was a better play of which i'm sure no one really truthfully doubts.

I'd like to point out I dont agree with Boyds actions before but I do understand why he did what he did. Frustration clearly got the better of him and he made a stupid call which he felt he had to stick by. I also dont think he's a fantastic striker. I would say, however, he is better than David Healy. And Scotland are probably just better than Northern Ireland (on paper) I do think however to ignore his knack of putting the ball in the net would be cutting ones nose of to spite themselves. He made a bad judgement call. For that some will never forgive - fair enough. I however am up for giving him a 2nd chance. As with Ferguson, as with McGregor. Quite simply as they all have something to offer Scotland. Also did Boyd not single handedly win the Scottish Cup and League cup for Rangers. Big games if you ask me.

Be a shame if he does go as he's done a great job at Burnley. Taken them up against all expectations and has a team full of hard working, spirited players who fight tooth and nail for each other. But he is a former Bolton player and if he does well there and gets some money for transfers and wages then he might get a big job after. However should Burnley get relegated I'd think he'd keep his job. If Bolton do, well its touch and go. Also there would be a massive job to rebuilt Bolton if they did go down I imagine, whereas Burnley are pretty much a championship team on championship wages. He's a bit of a mercanary in my view. Does well at St Johnstone, bigger job, leaves straight away. Does great at Burnley, slightly bigger club comes in and he wants to go. I'd warn Bolton fans that if he does well they will not keep him for long.

You could just call him a wee glory hunter, being from the North and having "them" as his 2nd team. Or sit him down saying "I've always been open to allow you to make your own choices and that includes choosing your team. But I must be honest with you. I'd be really dissppointed if you decided that Celtic were your team over ICT" Nothing gives kids the guilt like the "disappointed" word.

It was hardly a game to rate him on. Proabably one of Rangers better players in terms of chasing the ball down, which even i was suprised at. Rangers themselves had absolutely nothing in creation in the final third. As soon as they got to the half way line they would lose it. I would have said it was more testiment to Celtics dominance that Boyd did not get a sniff. They did their job. Kept it out of harms way. I like that "roughly" and "something like" with such precise figures. FACT - Larsson was a better player than Boyd. FACT - It is hardly an insult to say Larsson is better than Boyd. He was probably the best player to have played in Scotland in the last 15 years, if not the best outright.

All time record in the SPL speaks volumes for me, especially given the fact he is only 26. And if he scores 5 goals against Europe's 'diddy teams' in Scotland colours then I'll be happy. Let me finish this statement for you. .. we need the highest quality players dispensable to us. We simply cannot afford to ignore the scoring exploits of someone like Boyd, when we are struggling to compete with the likes of Norway, Georgia and Wales. If we are to progress as a nation then we need the best players we have playing. You need to take off your tri-colored spectacles if you would rather see Iwelumo in Scotland colours ahead of Boyd. Off topic however, but I don't think Ferguson and MacGregor should be playing for Scotland again. Its funny, you mention Norway like they are a diddy team. Something they are not. Norway are a good side. I think we have a habbit in this country. A bad habbit. One good run in a qualifiying campaign and suddenly we are world beaters? No, we need to remember our place. We are not *****, but i think we just had a really good period to get to 13th in the world rankings. When Boyd proves himself at a higher level than the SPL, then i might cosider him a decent footballer. But currently, he is scoring against League 2 level sides. Celtic are a top quarter Championship team. Yet he can't even score against them. Sums it up for me. Scotland strike force of.................. McFadden----------Fletcher----------McCormack. But Fletcher has scored a few in the EPL. Something Boyd wouldn't do. Boyd for certain wouldnt score in the EPL? Thats a certainty yeah? I'm not so sure. Put the ball in the 6 yard box and more often than not he is in the right place to tuck it away and does. Granted he does not have some of the aboves skill. But look at the Hibs game just passed, Scored 1 and set up the other 3. I've said it before but boyd is up near the top of Rangers assist table in the last 2 years. He does more than just score. And Besides Dickov managed to score in the EPL. Think he may have got 7 total for Scotland if he's lucky. The SPL on average is a league 1/lower championship in standard. The old firm could compete in the premiership. They do no worse in the champions league than say, a Bolton, would do. So you have McFadden, Fletcher and McCormack. McCormack who was dumped by Rangers or Fletcher who was ignored by the OF until his price was too high. And our talisman obviously who cant pass a ball. He's like a rich mans Dougie Imrie. rarely looks up. And Ferguson was very good for Rangers before his injury, which he played through. Is the only player Scotland have, capable of making play (D.Fletcher does the simple stuff and allows others to play through his graft, and Brown runs around alot and can run with the ball at feet but isnt really a playmaker.) Too many people look at the OF and say that their players are SH*** but could it be they are good players playing with other good players as opposed to above average playing with mediocre players? Fact is, the old firm have the best nucleus of Scottish talent as shown by league position. They cherry pick the best for themselves. They dont suddenly become bad because they play for the OF and may not shine so bright as they did at Humpty FC. To round up i totally agree with Levien. We are not good enough to ignore anyone. Particularly anyone who scores 160 goals by the time he is 26.

And the World cup, footballs premier competion is heald when exactly?! :wacko: Yeah I remember as a lad outside every dark night, unable to see the ball, on frozen grass, but when the summer came I had to go and find something more suitable to do. :( As others have mentioned, Calenders can be tweaked well in advance of any major Summer tournaments. Given that even most of our foreign representatives based in the SPL would probably be knocked out by then also we could just have a small gap in the calender. And when our off season is taking place, there is a European winter shut down anyway so no Champions League or Europa League when our leagues are not on. We'd be midway through our season in July when qualifiers start. This would benefit the likes of Hibs Hearts, Dundee Utd and Aberdeen (teams generally vying for those Europa places) as they would all be match fit and in their stride. In short there are few reasons for not having summer football, other than lets say, tradition.

Big Sam doesn't exactly employ good to watch enthralling football. He just got some entertaining players at Bolton. Its not as if the Bolton fans had magic to watch before so to gang on Megson was a tad harsh. Given the budget cuts as well as the fact Bolton have really overachieved in recent years shows just how hard it is to be a manager these days. In saying that, most managers are just as quick to move to a bigger club if an offer comes in.

I always thought January was the worst. With generally the most call offs due to snow/frozen pitches. February is bad because of the thawing and ruined pitches i thought. Obviously you'd have to discount any motherwell call offs because unless its a plus 10*C clear blue sky for a week, Fir park will be closed.

Really was a dire spectacle. Fortune goal should have stood but McDonald was touch n go for offside for his goal so all even there me thinks. Lafferty was lucky not to break Hinkels leg - awful challenge. Didnt think Boyd would score once Novo went off. Had draw written all over it. Really bad game. Picked up to mediocre in 2nd half but the level of football on display was embarrassing if that is meant to showcase Scottish football. The Hibs Hearts game was pretty good though. Black came on and did well and Rankin had a decent game too. Red card each and a higher standard of football with end to end action.

Iwelumo a proven scorer in the Chamionship?! Really? I seem to remember him having one good half season in his whole career before getting injured and idsappearing to the Wolves bench. He is Humpty! Burley should have been dismissed the instance he picked him over Boyd. I wouldnt say the championship is of a huge difference in level to the SPL. Given some pretty average players have went there and done a job from here. There is more money there certainly but thats the same anywhere really. Fact is Burley ballzed up alot. He was awful in terms of media handling. Calling your draft in a player with limited ability - some might say it was genious mind. He did score the opener against Iceland away. Boyd made the wrong call. It was obviously something that was upsetting him. He never got more than 20 minutes in 6 games under Burley. He then went stuff it to get his club form back - it did work for him. David Healy is awful at club level - he really has done nothing but he is a goal machine for Northern Ireland. He has a natural finishers knack in a team that lacks quality but works hard to get him chances. International level may be higher but its very different to the club game. Teams may be higher in quality but natural finishers often flourish against less tight knit defences. I dont really see what the boozegate 2 really did wrong other than have a stupid bender that other players were involved in. They were obviously given permission to drink but I'd imagine given no guidelines otherwise. They took it too far - Big deal! It happens. They then decided to act like idiots on the bench - having a wee giggle to themselves. It was hardly a cardinal sin. Childish yes. Disgraceful no. The Lifetime ban only ever meant till we punted Burley. It was just used to make it appear George wasn't completely out of control. I very much doubt anyone at the top expected it to be that though.

If the clubs gave a jot about the fans and not wanting to get money in over January there would be a winter break. Doesn't have to be a month. Just 2 weeks after the 1st weekend in January. If anything it might help refresh players for summer tournaments as they would be able to ease off niggles during a gap in playing and then start fresh and be in prime form for summer tournaments. We used to have a break and other countries implement it (Netherlands and Italy) so why cant we?

Good news if he has signed. Getting the promising young players signed up is the way forward!

If I was your bud I'd be checking, first if the order went through. i.e. has the money come of his card, and second a call to the shop to see that it hasn't been overlooked. Normally delivery is less than a week. Well payment has went through... I know that much. Dunno if he has called. I'll tell him to. Cheers!

Goal of the Decade - Rankin v Gers in 2-1 win or Hislop v Clyde because that was the goal that put us in pole position for the last game in title race. Player of the Decade - Ian Black Manager of the Decade - Robbo - took us up. Captain of the Decade - Darren Dods Goalkeeper of the Decade - Mark Brown Defender of the Decade - Tokely Midfielder of the Decade - Rankin Striker of the Decade - Wyness Assistant Manager of the Decade - Donald Park Signing of the Decade - Niculae. Might not have panned out well in the end but it was certainly a huge coup. Game of the Decade - Clyde in 2nd last SFl promotion or Coming back to beat Celtic 3-2 with 10 men Save of the Decade - Ike Fasker v Celtic Most Skilful Player of the Decade - Wilson Goal Celebration of the Decade - Mine against Clyde in that 2nd last game when hissy scored. Best Moment of the Decade - Graham Speirs being asked if he was going to "eat his hat" when it was apparent we were not to be relegated.

Any idea how long it takes to get a top delivered? My bud ordered one about 6 weeks ago and it still hasn't arrived.

I think the point might be is other teams in a financially tight spot have, in the past, "forgotten" to turn their heating on so that it was all due to the mercy of the elements. Perhaps our willingness to turn the power on shows that while we may have no pennies to spend we are not in the lavvy pan yet.

to be fair thays a decent effort. Shame you missed the goal though. I liked the pre match snowing mountain shot. nice touch! :) Wonder if the club would allow filming from the opposite side. As so to capture the crowd and stuff. probably not. Some sort of health and safety risk... or just mild inconvenience.

no wyness? I'd say the team for county should be - Esson Proctor - Bully - Munro - McBain Cox - Duff Hayes - Sanchez - Foran - Rooney- I think someone like McBain is just what we need for this type of game and Zadi is a liability.