Todays fitba

[tlg1903]

9 minutes ago, Goldie03 said:

This for me too Al  

 I do sometimes wonder wonder Rico does for living when he posts his gigantic comments - think the last  Booker prize winner had less words haha 

I was thinking today that if along with us, Hibs & Utd also progress into the group stages I really don't want jambos getting free run at all the League points!! 

 

Hearts are going to have a really strong season, no two ways about it.  

[Goldie03]

1 hour ago, tlg1903 said:

Hearts are going to have a really strong season, no two ways about it.  

This makes me feel sick haha 

[RicoS321]

2 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

I see where you're coming from but you're basing this on it being the same teams that qualify for europe every single year because that's how it went with the ugly sisters.  The big flaw there to my eye is that the size difference between the us, hearts,  hibs (who are all similar size) and all the smaller clubs than us in the league is nowhere near as big as the gap between the three mentioned and Rangers and Celtic.  Regardless of their euro qualification they were always going to finish top 2 because they had way more money anyway and back in those days virtually every other club in the league was carrying crippling debt (up to 12 mill in our case).  That is no longer the case and  I don't think you can say in say ten years time it's only going to be the same 5 teams qualifying for Europe every single season.  How many times have we seen the big two have a mare of a season and massively underperform?  Loads.  Hell we probably would have finished second last season if we hadn't collapsed.  Add in the struggles we all have when playing thursday/sunday and I think  you would still see a fair bit of rotation for the 5th place at the very least.  

That's why I said "over a decade". The Huns and Tims never ever had six times the budget of the rest, that has only occurred due to the compound nature of the European system, as evidenced everywhere in Europe. It really only took hold this century, and even a liquidation and new club forming hasn't stopped it. I don't know what the magic figure is, but it'll be something like 3 times the budget will likely guarantee that you finish above another team 9 times out of 10. We are probably already at 2 times the budget of some of the league, and that will get bigger the more often we access guaranteed European income. Over time, we'll reach the required figure, and that will be the second tier complete. It won't be impossible for other clubs to finish ahead of us and the other second tier teams, just increasingly less likely over time. Crucially, it'll be teams like us and the Edinburgh scum that have the existing capital to exploit the situation. A diddier side getting to the groups will take it as a one-off windfall, whereas we can afford to re-invest a significant portion straight back into the squad for next time, and also sustain that over a few years of we miss out in one or two seasons. Inequality begets inequality. That's how our economic system is designed, and that's what our football system emulates. Obviously, the worse coefficient will likely make it a moot point. 

[RicoS321]

2 hours ago, Goldie03 said:

I do sometimes wonder wonder Rico does for living when he posts his gigantic comments - think the last  Booker prize winner had less words haha 

Unemployed, obviously. Booker prize is for losers. Fuck do they know about fitba?

[tlg1903]

32 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

That's why I said "over a decade". The Huns and Tims never ever had six times the budget of the rest, that has only occurred due to the compound nature of the European system, as evidenced everywhere in Europe. It really only took hold this century, and even a liquidation and new club forming hasn't stopped it. I don't know what the magic figure is, but it'll be something like 3 times the budget will likely guarantee that you finish above another team 9 times out of 10. We are probably already at 2 times the budget of some of the league, and that will get bigger the more often we access guaranteed European income. Over time, we'll reach the required figure, and that will be the second tier complete. It won't be impossible for other clubs to finish ahead of us and the other second tier teams, just increasingly less likely over time. Crucially, it'll be teams like us and the Edinburgh scum that have the existing capital to exploit the situation. A diddier side getting to the groups will take it as a one-off windfall, whereas we can afford to re-invest a significant portion straight back into the squad for next time, and also sustain that over a few years of we miss out in one or two seasons. Inequality begets inequality. That's how our economic system is designed, and that's what our football system emulates. Obviously, the worse coefficient will likely make it a moot point. 

Re the bold, that's not true, particularly der hun.  Have a look at record transfers for them, Rangers FC - Record arrivals | Transfermarkt   Half of those come from the 90's when multi million pound signings were far more rare, even the tims were not able to compete with them then.  Sure they were being bankrolled by Murray at a loss but their budget dwarved everyone. 

Re diddy sides getting a windfall, you almost say that like it's a bad thing?  It's sport, there's always going to be winners and there's always going to be losers.  It's never going to be "equal" and you just have to make the best of what you have.  That's not to say that wouldn't like to see changes.  I think you made the point that for euro money to make a big difference to scottish football it should all be pooled and split amongst the clubs and i think that has merit 2bh.  Never going to happen though as one of the biggest problems in scottish football is the clubs only ever act in their own best interests.  

[tlg1903]

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

Unemployed, obviously. Booker prize is for losers. Fuck do they know about fitba?

Probably more than any of us 2bf 

[RicoS321]

54 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

Re the bold, that's not true, particularly der hun.  Have a look at record transfers for them, Rangers FC - Record arrivals | Transfermarkt   Half of those come from the 90's when multi million pound signings were far more rare, even the tims were not able to compete with them then.  Sure they were being bankrolled by Murray at a loss but their budget dwarved everyone. 

Re diddy sides getting a windfall, you almost say that like it's a bad thing?  It's sport, there's always going to be winners and there's always going to be losers.  It's never going to be "equal" and you just have to make the best of what you have.  That's not to say that wouldn't like to see changes.  I think you made the point that for euro money to make a big difference to scottish football it should all be pooled and split amongst the clubs and i think that has merit 2bh.  Never going to happen though as one of the biggest problems in scottish football is the clubs only ever act in their own best interests.  

The champions league started in '92. Not only did it allow the Hun to extend the imbalance, but it paved the way for McCann to sort out the Tims, comfortable that some sort of return could be made.

Overall, the diddy clubs getting a one off windfall is a bad thing. Firstly, because only one or two will get it, and just as many will gamble and fail to get it. Secondly, because it perpetuates the myth that trickle-down works because we can give one example where it once helped a team temporarily. It allows people to say that if the diddy clubs just invested in better players and tried a bit better, or had more belief, then they too could have a chance at regular group stage football. We basically use the current scum arguments on those below us.

Most importantly, however, is that nobody is addressing the fact that European group stage income is completely unearned, undeserved and unsporting. It's very clearly a form of sanctioned doping - or cheating, for want of a better expression. The biggest reason that nothing will happen is that everyone involved - both industry and fan - is in complete denial about it. Admitting the problem would go a long way to solving it. That there's not a single journalist willing, or capable, of articulating it is a large part of the problem (I'm not picking on the BBC!). People like me that attend most games are also a large part of the problem. 

[BigAl]

Have to say that I have grown to enjoy the BBC Scotland coverage of the Championship on Friday evenings.

Tonight's  match between the two teams relegated last season, although only the second match of the season, already had the feeling of an important game for both teams and the opportunity to lay down a marker 

Almost sixty minutes in and still awaiting the first goal but the second half so far has definitely seen the pace of the game being upped.

[BigAl]

1-0 Saints

Possibly a big goal already as if it finishes this way then they are five points ahead of County after only two games 

[tom_widdows]

Im not sure who the author is but surely a BBC Highlands & Islands Reporter should know Inverness is a City?

It bugs me eiither no one proof read this or worse they did.

Meanwhile down south clubs like Hamilton, Edinburgh City, Clyde etc are positively thriving in their urban environments

Edited 16 hours ago by tom_widdows

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, tom_widdows said:

Im not sure who the author is but surely a BBC Highlands & Islands Reporter should know Inverness is a City?

It bugs me eiither no one proof read this or worse they did.

Meanwhile down south clubs like Hamilton, Edinburgh City, Clyde etc are positively thriving in their urban environments

Yep, it's typical of today's journalism. It should read:

"The nearest proper cities - Aberdeen...."

 

[Panda]

8 hours ago, tom_widdows said:

Im not sure who the author is but surely a BBC Highlands & Islands Reporter should know Inverness is a City?

It bugs me eiither no one proof read this or worse they did.

Meanwhile down south clubs like Hamilton, Edinburgh City, Clyde etc are positively thriving in their urban environments

 

7 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

Yep, it's typical of today's journalism. It should read:

"The nearest proper cities - Aberdeen...."

 

It reads to me as nearest cities to the Highlands, as his intro was saying being based in the Highlands is the issue.

He could have worded it slightly better, but I don't think the writer - who knows the Highlands and Islands more than most on here - is unaware Inverness is a city.

[OxfordDon]

Inverness is a city?

[RicoS321]

2 hours ago, Panda said:

 

It reads to me as nearest cities to the Highlands, as his intro was saying being based in the Highlands is the issue.

He could have worded it slightly better, but I don't think the writer - who knows the Highlands and Islands more than most on here - is unaware Inverness is a city.

He mentions Dingwall in the paragraph prior, it reads as if Inverness doesn't exist - it's worded incorrectly. To be honest, anyone reading an article about Ross County probably knows what he means, but it would leave the layperson unaware that Inverness was a city. There are no laypersons, fortunately.

[tom_widdows]

Commentators said the chance was gone but he was never gonna give it up

[dons8321]

3 hours ago, OxfordDon said:

Inverness is a city?

I was taught (albeit at Northfield JS school - it's an academy now!) that a city had to have a Cathedral. Funnily enough, for 25 years I lived in Welwyn Garden City (no cathedral).

[tom_widdows]

8 minutes ago, dons8321 said:

I was taught (albeit at Northfield JS school - it's an academy now!) that a city had to have a Cathedral. Funnily enough, for 25 years I lived in Welwyn Garden City (no cathedral).

The people of Elgin and the bustling metropolis of Brechin would agree.

Just to clarify, Inverness also has a cathedral

Edited 3 hours ago by tom_widdows

[OrlandoDon]

Of course it’s penalty to rangers in 90 plus mins. Still, win tomorrow and we’re top 4 maybe. Martin is in a tough job, not unlike us in a way, he needs a complete overhaul. We’ll give Thelin time, Martin won’t get that.

based on results so far it does appear we couldn’t have had a tougher start playing the top 2 perhaps, unless it was in Glasgow tomorrow. Two losses is no disaster, but for some reason I think we’ll play well!

 

[manc_don]

Nice to hear the chorus of boos at FT