weeyin

I was thinking along similar lines last night. As Al B points out, our football tends not to produce athletes - that is one part of the problem. The second part in my view is that Scottish (and British) players tend not to be very bright; at least in a footballing sense. If you have ever listened to Gordon Strachan as a pundit, the guy knows the game and can break things down to a very detailed level. After his first couple of Scotland games, he came out and said that maybe he had been over-complicating things and needed to simplify tactics for the next game. That was a polite way of saying the players weren't bright enough to understand (or certainly execute) his game plan. I think we have the same problem in Europe. From McGhee's debacle in Nancy (where we didn't have a single shot at goal in 90 minutes) to last night's game where, after banging on about learning our lesson to not lose a soft goal on the counter - we do just that again, the players don't seem to have the footballing nous to maintain new tactics for 90 minutes. We also don't seem to be able to focus for a full game. European games can be intense with one mistake deciding a tie. It's not like the SPL where, if you screw up, you will likely get 3 or 4 more changes to make amends. Again, that is as much a failure of our infrastructure as anything. But bearing all that in mind, it does seem to make sense for us to play our natural game - or close to. If the team isn't able to switch it up for a one-off, then just playing the way we play as best we can might be the answer. That's what got us there in the first place.

Not sure about that but I do remember Paul McStay following a similar path. Set his stall out to leave Celtic and either move south to a big English team or hit the continent. No bid come in, so he ends up staying at Celtic.

New plan for the season. 1) Win the League Cup 2) Finish the league one spot out of the European places That way we can celebrate a good year without worrying about all this malarkey. It's got to the stage where I have to treat these games the way I used to treat the Rangers games otherwise I'd go (more) mental.

Can you imagine how difficult it would be if UEFA tried to appoint officials for Euro games that were from a different country from the all the players, coaches, managers and board members of each team?

They haven't taken it away. The main issue is that when you sign up for a competition you agree to abide by its rules and by-laws. If you don't agree with them, you are under no obligation to participate in the competition. If anybody wants to criticize UEFA, they are still free to do so outside the ground, on here etc. so their rights still exist.

That's what I'm hoping. Couldn't make it over for this tie, but would be able to come over fro the group stages

No, but the problem is that it's overseas/long distance fans that make up a lot of the extra numbers for a game of a lifetime like Pana. Our sustained league success has made the Europa League less of an event and not as big a draw as a Cup Final or Champions League game.

That was being streamed from the Celtic TV coverage. Something unfortunately that MFC TV hasn't yet managed. Will keep an eye out for any possibilities this afternoon.

Sorry. I'll try and do better next time.

Hope our Russia Today reporter turns up at the right game.

Disappointed. I always imagined Julian drove his cab to all these games.

I thought I read some official club statement that they would open the South if the other sell out, but would still be ticket only.

I guess it just about makes sense given he is a right back (especially if we are looking to sell Hutch), but it could just as easily be as a journalist jumping to conclusions.

I count answering rhetorical questions amongst my hobbies. I'm like a dog on a bone to pick when I mix my metaphors too.

From wiki: Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2009–2010 Derby County 0 (0) 2009 → Stafford Rangers (loan) 5 (1) 2010–2011 Alemannia Aachen 1 (0) 2010–2011 Alemannia Aachen II 10 (1) 2011 → Fortuna Sittard (loan) 7 (1) 2011 RoPS 17 (2)

Maybe, but to be honest it's really Board Members that are privy to those details. There is no obligation to participate in any Society activities if you pay your dues any more than you are obliged to attend public meetings regarding the future of the BBC because you own a TV Licence.

Depends what you mean by 'working'. I don't have the need for a season ticket, so put my money into the Society. Not under any illusions of owning the club, but because I understand the need to have a cash float that the banks are unwilling to fund. Don't have any problem with people not joining, though - just a choice that worked for me as an ex-pat.

In the recent past, Hibs had have players that matched up well against us (Stokes, Riordan, Grifftihs etc.) and were always capable of scoring. I don't see that in their current squad, so hopeful we can eke out a win.

I think most of us are in that camp (or most of the auld ones at least). It didn't seem to do the big clubs any harm and made for a much better competition.

Whatever the formation tonight, sounds like McCall wants to set up in a different way from the Euro tie.

Unlikely a US station would show it, but if there is a stream out there anywhere I guarantee one of us will find it!

If McCall said he was looking to bring in 2 more players and we sign one on a 6 month loan, I find it difficult to believe we have blown our remaining budget.

I don't know who is playing for them but off the top of my head guys like Jamie Fairlie, John Brown, Jim Dempsey, Paul Hegarty likely qualify. Even Bobby Graham might count

You can tell steelboy's raging when he accidentally uses a capital letter in one of his posts.

Just need that winger now and we are ready to roll.