Currently Hearts 0 Motherwell 0. As dangerous as it seems I hope Motherwell pump these cunts and keep them within 5 points.

 

Hamilton v Hibs draw would be best result too. Keep the top 6 dream alive 

Completely, it is a huge IF at the moment. The unpredicatability of everything is really frustrating, but I guess in a twisted way its exciting 

 

Anyway, just watched the Huns highlights, hilarious stuff. I wish they panned onto the orc crowds, would have been comedy viewing. Just wish we could win there, I really thought this would be the season as well. Spose it still could be 

 

Last game of the season to stop them winning the title...its tradition!

Couldn't be bothered to start a new thread, so found the most relevant thread on here. Interesting and well thought out post on MAD  regarding the quality of our team/SPL courtesy of Stooge.

 

A few things from my perspective.

 

I dinna think the training facilities thing is that big a deal. I've told the story before of doing a coaching badge with Simmie and someone complaining about us having to use "the all weather surface", ie the car park. Simmie responded simply with, "Aye, well that's where we trained with Fergie. We did nae bad". Times have changed and I hope we get decent facilities in any new stadium but I dont think its a major issue.

 

In terms of youth development I think its far more important to have the right staff than an expensive custom build complex with high running costs. I think we've tackled that. We got rid of dead wood and brought in some good guys who, if the u17/u19 Scotland squads are a decent benchmark, appear to be getting things right. Time will tell.

 

As for challenging the OF, I just can't see how anyone realistically thinks this is possible at the moment. If we had an exceptional manager it might be possible. If we had an exceptional player, it might happen. We don't.

 

This season Rangers spent £17,000,000 in the summer. That's them skint mind. Bougherra, Mendes, Edu, Davis, Miller, Velika and Lafferty. That was offset by the sale of Hutton and Cuellar but compared to our poxy 200-300k wheeling and dealing it is totally unrealistic to think we can compete.

 

Our league, in financial terms, is like Aston Villa and Everton competing against Wycombe, Rochdale and Grimsby. Over the course of a season we can't compete. In the cups, we've bottled it and as a result it's time for change at the next appropriate opportunity, ie the summer.

 

Our squad at the moment is really wafer thin. Worse than that, it's totally imbalanced and carrying too many passengers. We have no right back and no right mid. We have utility players like Young and Duff who aren't nearly as good as previous utility guys like Clark and McNaughton. We have far too many players that you just don't know what position they actually do play, at the top of their game, in Foster, Seve, Smith, Young and Duff. Even our good players have massive flaws in their games. Langfield canna kick, Miller canna score goals, Kerr canna shoot, Mulgrew canna defend.

 

The core of our team is decent SPL. Langfield, Zander, Seve, Mulgrew, Aluko, Kerr, MacDonald and Miller would fit into any of our rivals teams. The rest are bottom end SPL, decent enough for the money they're on, in the main, but just bog standard, plainly average, lacking in any spark or creative flair. That is what the SPL is though. There isn't a single player in the league, except our own Sone, that anyone would pay to see.

 

This is Scottish football. The options are like it or lump it.

Always like the Stooge's posts... points out the sometimes grim reality of life in the SPL without getting all hot-heid and "we deserve better".

 

I also wonder how folk think we could compete with the OF over a season. Then you look at Aston Villa in the EPL and their 18 point gap between them and the leaders down there. It happens in every league where there is an imbalance in money and power. Would any of our own "we deserve better" mob be expecting Villa to chase down their beloved Man United and Liverpool over the course of a season? Thought not.

 

Easily your best ever post.

 

+1

Two fantastic posts, which i have trouble finding a single thing i disagree with!

Always like the Stooge's posts... points out the sometimes grim reality of life in the SPL without getting all hot-heid and "we deserve better".

 

I also wonder how folk think we could compete with the OF over a season. Then you look at Aston Villa in the EPL and their 18 point gap between them and the leaders down there. It happens in every league where there is an imbalance in money and power. Would any of our own "we deserve better" mob be expecting Villa to chase down their beloved Man United and Liverpool over the course of a season? Thought not.

 

Completely agree. At the end of the day, Villa have done extremely well to even be competing for this long. Its a shame that we can't compete, but I don't expect us to do so. We have a league of nearly half the size of say the EPL, they have 4 teams who compete for the title, the SPL have two. It kind of makes sense. We've not done terribly against the vermin in the league, but as stooge says, we don't have the money to have a vast squad like them, more of a flexible squad. As you quite rightly say, he points out the grim reality of the SPL, it is what it is. I'm not enjoying it at the moment, but its not just us that are horrendous.

This season Rangers spent £17,000,000 in the summer. That's them skint mind. Bougherra, Mendes, Edu, Davis, Miller, Velika and Lafferty.

 

:lolabove: :lolabove:

 

That lot is barely worth £7,000,000

All of the above is very true, my only gripe is that I don't think we're really close to closing the gap with the OF.  The huns and tims are horrific. Absolutely awful to watch and they are undoubtedly regressing. I just wish we weren't regressing too.

All of the above is very true, my only gripe is that I don't think we're really close to closing the gap with the OF.  The huns and tims are horrific. Absolutely awful to watch and they are undoubtedly regressing. I just wish we weren't regressing too.

 

This is also true, but I think its just a sign of the times, Scottish football in general is horrific to watch. I think it is clear if one team was even remotely consistent they would be challenging the OF no problem. But at the end of the day, you get what you pay for.

This is also true, but I think its just a sign of the times, Scottish football in general is horrific to watch. I think it is clear if one team was even remotely consistent they would be challenging the OF no problem. But at the end of the day, you get what you pay for.

 

The major fear for all of us has to be the possibility of Setanta going tits up.  If we lose the TV deal with them the league will be in no position to be fussy in any future negotiations with Sky or the Beeb/STV and we'd likely see the further reduction of income which in turn will of course mean the product quality is likely to suffer.  They should never have turned down Sky's last offer, the SPL over estimated it's worth and we're all paying the price for that now and will do for sometime to come.

The major fear for all of us has to be the possibility of Setanta going tits up.  If we lose the TV deal with them the league will be in no position to be fussy in any future negotiations with Sky or the Beeb/STV and we'd likely see the further reduction of income which in turn will of course mean the product quality is likely to suffer.  They should never have turned down Sky's last offer, the SPL over estimated it's worth and we're all paying the price for that now and will do for sometime to come.

 

Setanta is losing the EPL next season or the following season so we might see some of that cash coming our way?

Setanta is losing the EPL next season or the following season so we might see some of that cash coming our way?

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Setanta go under though. If they're struggling just now, and lose the EPL for their UK coverage, they could easily lose a huge amount of their customer base.  They'd then be in no position to increase the subscription price when all they have to sell is the SPL, Ligue 1 and one Bundesliga game per week.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Setanta go under though. If they're struggling just now, and lose the EPL for their UK coverage, they could easily lose a huge amount of their customer base.  They'd then be in no position to increase the subscription price when all they have to sell is the SPL, Ligue 1 and one Bundesliga game per week.

 

Think they still get the EPL for Ireland though.

The major fear for all of us has to be the possibility of Setanta going tits up.  If we lose the TV deal with them the league will be in no position to be fussy in any future negotiations with Sky or the Beeb/STV and we'd likely see the further reduction of income which in turn will of course mean the product quality is likely to suffer.  They should never have turned down Sky's last offer, the SPL over estimated it's worth and we're all paying the price for that now and will do for sometime to come.

 

As much as I hated scumtanta, they have done good things for the SPL and the coverage isn't half bad. I agree that the SPL never should have turned down sky's offer, and they certainly got too big for their own boots. As GD says, Sultana are losing the EPL, so I would imagine that we would see them investing further in the SPL, unless the infirm move to another league But I do think the SPL/SPL clubs actually have to do something to market the league better.

Setanta's SPL coverage is good, but the package is no use for Dons fans, as they only ever show home games.

Setanta's SPL coverage is good, but the package is no use for Dons fans, as they only ever show home games.

Caley away, Hibs away.

Caley away, Hibs away.

 

In 2 years of coverage though?

In 2 years of coverage though?

Motherwell away. Hearts away. St Mirren away.

Motherwell away. Hearts away. St Mirren away.

 

Just testing! 

Just testing! 

 

Should I give you a +1 or does Minj have to give permission first? Real fans etc.

Back to the SPl - hibs drawing with the buddies, good for us.

Setanta's SPL coverage is good, but the package is no use for Dons fans, as they only ever show home games.

 

But if I remember correctly, we didn't exactly get good coverage under the Sky deal did we? Setanta do give the most comprehensive SPL coverage, much better than what Sky gave. I think it would be a big shame if they went under (apart from the fact it would probably fuck us over). Furthermore, if they did go under and don't get any premier league coverage, the profile of the SPL is severely dented in England. I remember the first few years of the deal where it was an absolute nightmare trying to find a pub with it. The number of games I missed because that really fucked me off.

Nicely change the subject away from some reasoned debate about the league, eh, Mizer? Unrealistic expectations, we deserve better, we have the club we deserve, etc, another JMG cliche, etc?

 

Anyway - How is Hibs drawing good? We want St Mirren to win! We deserve better!!!

 

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

IT'S ALL SHITE - I'M NEVER GOING BACK!!!!!!!

 

St Mirren fucked that up right at the death of the first half. Lets hope they get it back.

 

Shut it cripple! Hibs drawing at the end will mean a better chance for well to make the top 6 and a better chance for us to beat Utd to 4th.

But if I remember correctly, we didn't exactly get good coverage under the Sky deal did we? Setanta do give the most comprehensive SPL coverage, much better than what Sky gave. I think it would be a big shame if they went under (apart from the fact it would probably fuck us over). Furthermore, if they did go under and don't get any premier league coverage, the profile of the SPL is severely dented in England. I remember the first few years of the deal where it was an absolute nightmare trying to find a pub with it. The number of games I missed because that really fucked me off.

 

I actually think we got much the same from Sky, remember matches with Hibs (a few times), Killie (a couple of times) and St Johnstone off the top of my head being covered by them.

I actually think we got much the same from Sky, remember matches with Hibs (a few times), Killie (a couple of times) and St Johnstone off the top of my head being covered by them.

 

Didn't realise that, actually I remember a killie game being shown. And I know that hun game got covered when it was postponed 20 mins for people telling the huns what was what I guess I think i'm taking the league as the whole, because i'm sure they didn't show as many games.

Another cracker of a post from Stooge.

 

The lack of good football is perhaps not unique to Pittodrie, says Aberdeen-Mad's latest contributor.

 

Despite collecting three well earned points few fans will have left Pittodrie on Saturday feeling they had received value for money. All too often SPL battles have become Wars of Attrition where creative, beautiful football is stifled out by negative tactics and hatchet men. As a result, fitness and athleticism have taken priority over genuine skill and flair.

 

Calderwood has taken his fair share of criticism following the predictably meek exit from the Scottish Cup last month and one of the biggest gripes among fans is the level of entertainment provided by his Aberdeen side. The last ten league outings have seen Aberdeen score only seven goals which seems to belie the view that Calderwood encourages attacking football. However, over the same period we have only conceded seven and the defence appears to be holding firm on a regular basis with Jamie Langfield topping the SPL clean sheet charts. Perhaps it's not Jimmy that's the problem, perhaps the nature of the game in Scotland has changed.

 

The goals in Scotland in general seem to have dried up. Outside the Old Firm only one player has hit double figures in the SPL this season and the average weekly goals has dropped from over 16 goals a week last year to barely 14 this year.

 

There appears to be two main reasons for this. First, as Rangers proved in their tedious European adventure last season, negative football can be very effective. The rise of 4-5-1 has allowed some teams to bore their way to success and when options, and more importantly talent, are limited it must be difficult for managers to resist. The most frustrating, tiresome performances at Pittodrie, the ones which have further hardened the feeling towards Calderwood, have come against teams we'd hope to pass off the park. Games against Hamilton, Kilmarnock and ICT have been particularly brutal on the eye.

 

The other reason is the poverty gripping Scottish football. Any player showing half a season's worth of quality is lured away by the filthy lucre of the Championship. No non-Old Firm club can compete with their bargaining power and few players will opt for the potential glory of a couple of nights of UEFA Cup action in exchange for trebling their wages. Players of any flair or quality disappear from Scotland before they fully develop and often before they bear fruit in our own top league.

 

The examples are becoming too numerous to mention from Gow, McCormack, Anderson, Porter, McNaughton, Berra and Nicholson to even First Division players like MacDonald, Dorrans, Snodgrass and McPake. Scottish football just can't cope with the brain drain, and the talent deficiency is becoming more and more apparent in our top league. The whole league is devoid of the star players you pay your money to see. Performers and entertainers are few and far between and unaffordable to most clubs. Should a talent emerge from the youth ranks the opportunity to cash in is irresistible to chairmen.

 

With the budget available Jimmy has assembled a squad of players capable of punching their weight at the top end of the SPL but each and every one of them is clearly flawed. In Lee Miller we a have a player with about the best touch in the league, a fans favourite, an international and a player who rarely scores from open play. In Charlie Mulgrew we have a left back with a lethal delivery, a dead ball specialist who can't defend. In Mark Kerr we have a workhorse, an effective passer who keeps the team moving with his enthusiasm, energy and drive but who is completely incapable of getting a shot on target. Yet despite their flaws, these are players that every other SPL manager would welcome into their teams.

 

The problems don't end there. The restricted budgets mean paper-thin squads and a reliance on utility players. They are invariably a jack of all trades and master of none. These players have become more and more important for SPL sides and the value for money they can bring has again brought the Championship clubs calling. Aberdeen have lost McNaughton and Clark in recent years and to effectively replace them Jimmy would have required four or five signings to fulfil the variety of roles they covered. Obviously this isn't possible on an SPL budget and instead he's had to make do with journeymen and drifters.

 

Every summer sees the departure of the league's top players to the Championship, and this results in managers desperately trying to plug the gaps in their squads before the transfer window slams shut. Aberdeen finally signed a left back only to find they no longer had a right back. Jimmy tried to deal with this through speculative punts on EPL loans but the gamble hasn't paid off and the team has suffered as a result. The compound effect of these patch ups is an imbalanced squad awaiting further repair at the next window when inevitably some more top performers will seek higher wages elsewhere to further exacerbate the problem.

 

The manager's job in Scottish football is becoming increasingly difficult and the result is increasingly unwatchable.

 

The only hope is that the credit crunch bankrupts the Championship before the turgid football bankrupts the SPL.

 

thestooge