Black's behaviour

[TSTtiger]

blackie has sorted out the rash challenges this season and his card count illustrates that fact.

saturday was no different, a couple of meaty challenges but nothing to get in a twist over. in fact he's on the receiving end of some nasty ones more than handing them out so far and hasn't reacted.

when black's playing well he's in there winning the tough tackles.its a mans game after all and i wouldn't want him to change a bit.

[4ize]

Calm down 4ize!

I?ll give you a chance to redeem yourself by inviting you to explain why you took great exception to the content of my earlier post. I urge you to take it.

Tone down, sophia!  :004:  Arrant, pedantic and supercilious posts packed full of assumed wisdom may fill you with glee; you may be the consummate wind-up merchant; fair play if that's so: but, if not, is this really the place? If you're not already a slightly overbearing primary school teacher, why not book yerself in for the appropriate operation/training and patronise small children for the rest of your career? Alternatively, accept that knowing where an apostrophe belongs really doesn't single you out for footballing brain of the decade, lord high executioner, or supreme being, and try to relate to your fellow posters in a manner which suggests you consider them as something approaching equals (whether you do or not - it's called tact).

Exception to your earlier post - like toothache, there's a point at which the annoying pain has to be addressed.

As for Ian Black - you assert that every booking he's received has been the result of a lunging challenge and that the supporters have been frustrated by that. Are you really saying that you reckon he's never been booked for anything other than a bad tackle, and that the fans have been in agreement with the bookings? You seem to be saying exactly that and, even judging by the small sample of fans on this board, it's complete bollocks. Ian has a far broader repertoire of bookings than you allow  :001:

Accept all in good humour, or as good as possible  :004:

[Scarlet Pimple]

Well, you have  got to hand it to Mee , always has a waspish reply (and often a very cutting and apt one), . So I am enjoying the repartee and glad that it is spat out upon  others since S. P has had his share in the past...e,g. "Oh you are that old gent with the bald heid, are you?"  :015:

MEE and me seldom agree

We often beg to differ

But when the battleaxe gets her claymore oot

Eh dinnae stop to banter

It's easier to run like fun 'cos if she catches you it won"t be at a canter

She'll hit you hard and knock yese doon

And  she'll mak yese wear the kilt like in Brigadoon

With the intention to mak yese tak it off again real soon

Aye, she's a hottie wiv a caustic mooth

And a bonnie fechter tae boot

So jist yese tell her yese dinna give a hoot

Aboot her rabid viscious prattle

Or she will melt yese and tak awa yer rattle

Wha's like her ,oor Bonnie Mee

Any mair o' the same and I will be forced tae leave the Caley park

and aff tae see the Bully wee

'cos ah ken that even if she winds up yer girnin' guts

she still loves wee old baldie Me, S.P.

An as fer Sophia  that sonsy spirited wean

She's guid at holdin' her own,--you ken whit ah mean?

She uses wirds like scythes and axes

And probably is jist as guid at sending faxes

A product of the puddin' race

Her mind I'm sure as often as not  is in outer space

Teacher? Aye and preacher maybe

If she had been a male ,then as well a flipping fiery fellow

Jist holding forth with great glee and more than once a saucy bellow

Quite a challenge and quite a handful

But dinna worry, as she flirts wiv age she will no doubt  mellow

From twenty tae thirty four

Thats four digits and half a score

And her silver tongue may be no more.

"Cos she may marry Johnny Come Lightly

And she will be much kinder  tae all of youse

But ever so lightly, and only if yer aff the booze.

[Scotty]

blackie has sorted out the rash challenges this season and his card count illustrates that fact. saturday was no different, a couple of meaty challenges but nothing to get in a twist over. in fact he's on the receiving end of some nasty ones more than handing them out so far and hasn't reacted.

agree with the above

The commentators seem quite impressed with him this season so far and Bill Leckie this past weekend was certainly not the first to mention that Ian seems to have got a handle on the stupid bookings and also on the retaliation side of things as he was getting hit hard quite often but not reacting. It must have frustrated Collins no end as getting him sent off seemed to be a major part of his gameplan.

So well done to Blackie, credit where credit is due and all that. The lad is a good talent and if he can continue to keep the temper toned down but retain the (controlled) aggression he will be a tremendous asset for us. He will undoubtedly have the odd rash challenge ... all players do, and he may be booked for them or even sent off from time to time ... but considering most of us last season were complaining more about his petulance and stupid bookings than those made for physical challenges we cant have it all .......

[CaleyD]

A bit of perspective on "Blacks Behaviour" is required here I think.

I was one of the more vocal people on these forums in regards to black having p!ssed me off last season, but it had little to do with the style of his play, and everything to do with the disrespect I believed he had shown in the incident where he threw his top away.

For me, that was when the line was crossed and that's what he needed to get in check.

Yes, it's frustrating to see any player picking up stupid yellow cards, but in this game you have players who's "style" of play leaves them prone to such things, whilst other players who are a little more subtle, but just as guilty, go from game to game pulling shirts, getting in sly digs, climbing over the top of players at set pieces etc...and they rarely come under the kosh from officials.

I don't think black is, or ever has been a "dirty" footballer....he plays tough, and you need that element in any team.  He's also physically smaller than most of his opposition and he needs to make it known that he's not going to be walked over.  Take Saturday for example...he and Nebuisse (sp?) were having a right ding dong for most of the match...Black even looked to have come off the worst at one point when he was down on the deck....but over the piece he got the better of Nebuisse...evident in the fact that he was the man to be subbed as he was flagging half way through the second half.  Do you think Nebuisee will be so keen to try and dish out the heavy treatment the next team the teams meet???

What Black lacks in terms of physical presence, he more than makes up for in terms of mental presence....he needs to be allowed to stamp that authority on the opposition during a game...it may see him get the odd card, but over the piece it is a small price to pay.

Although it could be argued that the petulance was part of that character I think he's disproved that fact.  His game hasn't changed much IMO, he still plays hard and never lets up....but he has learned to button his lip and contain his temper, that, IMO, was the reason he was coming under so much scrutiny from Refs last season and is why he is not picking up the cards this season.....nothing to do with him modifying his game and not making the crunching tackles/challenges that make his such a dominant figure in the midfield.

In short...his behaviour and the way he plays his game are two entirely different things, IMO, and they should not be confused when judging the guy.  His behaviour was having a negative effect on his game, he has got that sorted without detracting from his effectiveness and that can't have been an easy thing to do.  Credit where it is due...he seems to have matured and come to realise the difference for himself.  He's as effective a player as ever, and having sorted out the negative he will spend more time on the pitch demonstrating the positive and making himself an even bigger asset to the team.

[Kingsmills]

I couldn't agree more. Long may it continue.

[Guest sophia]

4ize,

I?ve never even been to Arran!

Glad I got your dander up though, you certainly gave your last post more thought than your original riposte.

However, I have to say this - Using posts on this board is not the most scientific way to prove any theory!

It is a place for a bit of debate and jocular jousts.

On with the show:

Lets get this Ian Black thing into kilter;

He is a very good footballer.

He is diminutive and slight of frame.

His behaviour has, at times, been scandalous.

He has received credit for modifying his play such that he is not picking up a caution per game anymore.

I?m sure we?re all agreed on the above.

But.

He should not get too much credit too early.

He continues to put himself and his team under pressure with the odd lunge.

On Saturday he was, as was his opponent, extremely lucky that his ?challenge? was so mistimed.

There was congregational sharp intake of breath around me when Ian Black was in mid air.

Make no mistake, if he had connected he would have been off and back to square one.

Sporting fouls are to be accepted, welcomed even but Saturday?s exhibit was the latest in a long line of desperate attempts.

Scotty, they really does go beyond ?rash?.

I just don?t know why he does it. I repeat, he doesn?t need to, he?s much better than that.

[4ize]

Bollocks

[4ize]

Very good post Don.

[Mee]

Scotty, they really does go beyond ?rash?.

Nice grammar Sophia! Why use the present 3rd person singular when surely the bare infinitive would be more appropriate? Maybe you didn't mean to use the collective pronoun? Is that a wee split infinitive in the mix? FFS and you have the cheek to give other folk hassle for missing out full stops! How the mighty have fallen! I'd rather tear my own eyes out than read any more of your childishly constructed posts  :018:

[CaleyD]

On with the show:

Lets get this Ian Black thing into kilter;

He is a very good footballer. - Yes

He is diminutive and slight of frame.- Yes

His behaviour has, at times, been scandalous.- Yes

He has received credit for modifying his play such that he is not picking up a caution per game anymore.- No

I?m sure we?re all agreed on the above.

I don't think he has modified his play at all to be honest...and I don't think that was ever the reason he was picking up the Yellow Cards.  He had a habit of back chatting, arguing and gesticulating in such a manner that he brought too much attention to himself during games.  It doesn't matter what walk of life you belong to, if you p!ss off those in authority then you can be sure that they will eventually get tired of it and return the favour by making life difficult for you.

It's the improvement in his behaviour that I think most people are giving credit for as most people have always seemed to respect his talent as a player, and very few have ever questioned that...either now or last season when he was up more than his share of yellow cards.

But.

He should not get too much credit too early.

He continues to put himself and his team under pressure with the odd lunge. - Disagree

On Saturday he was, as was his opponent, extremely lucky that his ?challenge? was so mistimed.Disagree, to say such a thing suggest he went in with the intention of nobbling the player and not for the ball, and I don't think that is anything like the case.

There was congregational sharp intake of breath around me when Ian Black was in mid air.Is it a Bird, is it a Plane.....

Make no mistake, if he had connected he would have been off and back to square one.He didn't, and he wasn't....pointless argument IMO.

Sporting fouls are to be accepted, welcomed even but Saturday?s exhibit was the latest in a long line of desperate attempts.

Scotty, they really does go beyond ?rash?.

I have a garage full of vinyl records if you want something that's a little less scratched than the one your playing at the moment.....and that coming from someone who is a champion in the "not  knowing when to let go" event.  (You can have that on me for free...don't forget to bookmark it so you can throw it back at me in a couple of months)

You have a go at people on here for calling players "sh!te" etc, yet here you are and your as good as calling Black a thug....even if you do try to dress it up in fancy words and alliteration.  You really are a creature of contradicting conjecture!!!

[Johnboy]

You have a go at people on here for calling players "sh!te" etc, yet here you are and your as good as calling Black a thug....even if you do try to dress it up in fancy words and alliteration.  You really are a creature of contradicting conjecture!!!

I've had a go at posters on here, moderators even, for calling players sh!te, or worse... and I'll continue to do so...

If I was a player and accosted in the street by you, and accused of "being a thug" - I'd laugh it off and say something like - "Naw A'm no - wholehearted maybe, but not a thug..."

If you called me "utterly sh1te"  - I'd knock your feckin block off.... 

[Alex MacLeod]

Is this argument not played out yet.

Fact is Ian, being small of stature, has to go into a tackle hard and fast. If he gets his timing wrong he gives away a foul and may get booked. Saturdays tackle in question was timed to perfection and he got to the ball first. Ian is a very defensive player who is not frightened to tackle and win the ball, unlike some who shall remain nameless, and most of the time he does it very well.

He will get booked, he will get hooked, others will niggle and wind him up. He may even get sent off but he will never give less than the 100% he does give. Its football. Its a tough game.

[Scotty]

Is this argument not played out yet.

Fact is Ian, being small of stature, has to go into a tackle hard and fast. If he gets his timing wrong he gives away a foul and may get booked. Saturdays tackle in question was timed to perfection and he got to the ball first. Ian is a very defensive player who is not frightened to tackle and win the ball, unlike some who shall remain nameless, and most of the time he does it very well.

He will get booked, he will get hooked, others will niggle and wind him up. He may even get sent off but he will never give less than the 100% he does give. Its football. Its a tough game.

:clapping03: :clapping03: :clapping03:

[chris123]

I dont get it

He got the ball :017:

Sophia ---->    :whip01:  <---- Ian Black

[Guest neksor]

Sunday Herald story about Black today.

Celtic game.

Black was a bit lippy in the first half but turned in a good performance.

neksor

[Scotty]

whatever he said to McGeady ended up with McGeady getting booked  :015: :015:

It looked like there was a bit of a tussle and McGeady squared up to him. The Black of old might have lost it on the scotsman Irishman, but fair play to him he said something and it was the other guy getting the card  :001:

[tm4tj]

Once again Black was sheer class, winning the sponsors MoM today.  Another Black Magic display, just in time for Xmas.

[kencar]

McGeady kicked Black. It was blatant. Then he had the audacity to mouth off to the ref after squaring up to Black

[davieB]

If Scott Brown is worth ?4m, how much is Blackie worth??

[tm4tj]

Good shout davie, he will be difficult to hold on to at this rate of progress though.

From the distance of the North Stand, I thought the Irish fellow tried to elbow Black after a robust, but fair challenge, and maybe a bit of lippie from Black helped........class act Iain.

[caleyblue]

both rankin and black were brill today and both deserved mom

[CaleyD]

Ian Black....Tallest midget in the SPL  :021:

[Guest sophia]

Well done Ian, you certainly seem to have taken on board some sage advice from some learned observers.

Your challenge today to outjump that fat, lazy but big, very big, Dutchman was a testimony to your qualities.

Oh and a turn in the 2nd half that left two of the Celtic midfielders wondering whether it was New York or New Year was sublime.

Much more like it.

[Johnboy]

Well done Ian, you certainly seem to have taken on board some sage advice from some learned observers.

He obviously takes cognizance of your every utterance, Sophia and would appear to have adjusted his behaviour accordingly.... :022:

(Sorry about the smiley)