The Scottish PL discussion thread

Blackjack

eirebhoy wrote:

That Hibs keeper is terrible. I don't know how he let Riordan's goal in.

You're not wrong there. Keepers have cost Hibs dearly this year - certainly should be knocking on the door for a European place had there not been as many GK errors this year.

eirebhoy

eirebhoy wrote:

Teddy Bjarnason is starting today. Looking forward to seeing him.

Very impressed with him. Skillful, intelligient, good passer, works off the ball. He'll definitely get his chance at the start of next season after such a competent debut.

eirebhoy

Hibs v Celtic highlights:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kNwpGufPNe4

That would have been some goal by Bjarnason in the first clip.

Eirebear

eirebhoy wrote:

Hibs v Celtic highlights:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kNwpGufPNe4

That would have been some goal by Bjarnason in the first clip.

Having a good laugh watching you talk to yourself here Eirebhoy!

Well seasons officially finished, thank god, congratulations to Celtic, enjoy it while it lasts I reckon next season is going to be a cracker.
yeah im a little bummed about losing out on Brown but i think we can put together a team more than capable of challenging you lot next year....cannae Wait

Blackjack

Great goals by Brown and Sproule - Broonaldo will be missed from the Hibs midfield next year. Hopefully some of the money from his sale will be used to get someone else in, although there are a number of talented kids in the reserves who might improve with more match practise.

Eirebear

Blackjack wrote:

Great goals by Brown and Sproule - Broonaldo will be missed from the Hibs midfield next year. Hopefully some of the money from his sale will be used to get someone else in, although there are a number of talented kids in the reserves who might improve with more match practise.

Hows sproule progressing blackjack? he seems to have been a wee bit quieter this year considering the impact he made at points last year?
Cracking wee player if he manages to do it consistently i reckon

eirebhoy

Thursday, July 5, 2007 – FC Basel v Celtic
(Grenchen Stadium, 8pm kick-off)

Saturday, July 7, 2007 – Young Boys of Berne v Celtic
(Grenchen Stadium, 7.30pm KO)

Friday, July 13, 2007 – Peterborough United v Celtic
(London Road Stadium, 7.45pm KO)

Sunday, July 15, 2007 – Queen's Park Rangers v Celtic
(Loftus Road, 3pm KO)

Thursday, July 19, 2007 – MLS All-Stars v Celtic
(Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Denver, 7pm KO)

Sunday, July 22, 2007 – Chicago Fire v Celtic
(Toyota Park, Bridgeview IL, 2pm KO)

Thursday, July 26, 2007 – Newcastle United v Celtic
(St James’ Park, 7.45pm KO)

There'll be one final friendly at home before the league starts on 4th August.

Blackjack

Eirebear wrote:

Hows sproule progressing blackjack? he seems to have been a wee bit quieter this year considering the impact he made at points last year?
Cracking wee player if he manages to do it consistently i reckon

He's doing alright, to be honest. Does not usually start but definetly has an impact when he comes on. His Speed is his key strength but his crossing and finishing is not consistent enough really. Still a great player to watch and really drives defenders nuts with how quickly he can get past them with the ball. Has a bit more competition for his place this year, hence why he's not featured as much. He's also a bit hot tempered, so can be a bit of a card magnet.

PauloMN

eirebhoy wrote:

Thursday, July 5, 2007 – FC Basel v Celtic
(Grenchen Stadium, 8pm kick-off)

Saturday, July 7, 2007 – Young Boys of Berne v Celtic
(Grenchen Stadium, 7.30pm KO)

Friday, July 13, 2007 – Peterborough United v Celtic
(London Road Stadium, 7.45pm KO)

Sunday, July 15, 2007 – Queen's Park Rangers v Celtic
(Loftus Road, 3pm KO)

Thursday, July 19, 2007 – MLS All-Stars v Celtic
(Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Denver, 7pm KO)

Sunday, July 22, 2007 – Chicago Fire v Celtic
(Toyota Park, Bridgeview IL, 2pm KO)

Thursday, July 26, 2007 – Newcastle United v Celtic
(St James’ Park, 7.45pm KO)

There'll be one final friendly at home before the league starts on 4th August.

Pretty intensive July, is there normally that many pre-season matches? Seems a lot.

Hope it prepares them well for the CL qualifier. I'm nervous about that one already...

eirebhoy

Last year it was...

04/07/2006 Legia Warsaw v Celtic
06/07/2006 Wisla Krakow v Celtic
13/07/2006 DC United v Celtic
15/07/2006 Chivas of Guadalajara v Celtic
20/07/2006 New England Revolution v Celtic
23/07/2006 Celtic v Everton
26/07/2006 Celtic v Manchester United

They'll have learnt from the mistakes of last year and not arrive in America the day before the first game. It was pretty hectic last year, teams just thrown together and very little learnt. Naka has the Asia cup in July and Japan will most likely get to the final so he'll miss all the friendlies. I think McDonald is going to stay with Celtic instead of playing in it, good decision.

Eirebear

eirebhoy wrote:

Last year it was...

04/07/2006 Legia Warsaw v Celtic
06/07/2006 Wisla Krakow v Celtic
13/07/2006 DC United v Celtic
15/07/2006 Chivas of Guadalajara v Celtic
20/07/2006 New England Revolution v Celtic
23/07/2006 Celtic v Everton
26/07/2006 Celtic v Manchester United

They'll have learnt from the mistakes of last year and not arrive in America the day before the first game. It was pretty hectic last year, teams just thrown together and very little learnt. Naka has the Asia cup in July and Japan will most likely get to the final so he'll miss all the friendlies. I think McDonald is going to stay with Celtic instead of playing in it, good decision.

I lve the way we, as european football fans completely dismiss other continents football as being unimportant.
Could you imagine any of the scottish players turning round and saying, nah, i dont want to play in the Euro Championships for my country, i want to play in friendlies with Rangers/Celtic/Hibs/hearts instead! thered be war i tell ya!
Anyway surely if Australlia call McDonald up he would have to play under FIFA rules?

eirebhoy

Eirebear wrote:

Anyway surely if Australlia call McDonald up he would have to play under FIFA rules?

Maybe he will play. I read last month that he doesn't want to start off at Celtic behind the rest so will pull out of it. He's in the Australia squad for a friendly against Uruguay.

The Scotland U-20 Squad was announced for the World Youth Championships. I was really looking forward to this. The U-19 team that got to the European final last year had 4 Celtic players in the midfield. Ferry, Grant, McGlinchey and Conroy. Conroy is the only player not injured. I would have loved to see an entire midfield of Celtic players play in this. Ferry's supposed to be a class act but has been injured all season. The Scotland captain is also a Celtic player, Scott Cuthbert. The future's bright.

Eirebear

eirebhoy wrote:

Maybe he will play. I read last month that he doesn't want to start off at Celtic behind the rest so will pull out of it. He's in the Australia squad for a friendly against Uruguay.

The Scotland U-20 Squad was announced for the World Youth Championships. I was really looking forward to this. The U-19 team that got to the European final last year had 4 Celtic players in the midfield. Ferry, Grant, McGlinchey and Conroy. Conroy is the only player not injured. I would have loved to see an entire midfield of Celtic players play in this. Ferry's supposed to be a class act but has been injured all season. The Scotland captain is also a Celtic player, Scott Cuthbert. The future's bright.

You got a link to the squad? Interested in seeing how many of the U-19 double champions are in the squad! Lennon and Lowell cant be far away, i reckon Wee fleck might be a wee bit too young yet though.
lennon looks like hes gonna be a cracking player, fast as anything ive seen for a long time and very composed on the ball.

Add that to Celtics youngsters and you may be right about the future!

odonnell

oooh how i love how the green tinted spectacles get taken out when it comes to the scottish national side It ebbs and flows as to how many rangers and celtic players are in them though - its been swings and roundabouts for years but aye as far as i know, celtic have the midfielders, rangers have the defenders and strikers.

On a side note - whos watching the cup final at the weekend? Whos wearing dunfermiline tops? and who knows where eirebear and myself can purchase two!? hehe

eirebhoy

I actually thought it was the squad for the Championships but it's just the squad to play N.Ireland on Thursday.

Goalkeepers: Scott Fox (Celtic), Andrew McNeil (Hibernian)
Defenders: Andrew Cave-Brown (Norwich City), Andrew Considine (Aberdeen), Scott Cuthbert (Celtic), Garry Kenneth (Dundee United), Alan Lowing (Rangers), Kevin McCann (Hibernian), Mark Reynolds (Motherwell), Greg Ross (Dunfermline Athletic), Lee Wallace (Heart of Midlothian)
Midfielders: Jamie Adams (Kilmarnock), Ryan Conroy (Celtic), Paul Emslie (Rangers), Sean Lynch (Hibernian), Robert Snodgrass (Livingston), Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian)
Forwards: Ross Campbell (Hibernian), Graham Dorrans (Livingston), Calum Elliot (Heart of Midlothian), Steven Fletcher (Hibernian), Rory McAllister (Inverness CT)

Eirebear

eirebhoy wrote:

I actually thought it was the squad for the Championships but it's just the squad to play N.Ireland on Thursday.

Goalkeepers: Scott Fox (Celtic), Andrew McNeil (Hibernian)
Defenders: Andrew Cave-Brown (Norwich City), Andrew Considine (Aberdeen), Scott Cuthbert (Celtic), Garry Kenneth (Dundee United), Alan Lowing (Rangers), Kevin McCann (Hibernian), Mark Reynolds (Motherwell), Greg Ross (Dunfermline Athletic), Lee Wallace (Heart of Midlothian)
Midfielders: Jamie Adams (Kilmarnock), Ryan Conroy (Celtic), Paul Emslie (Rangers), Sean Lynch (Hibernian), Robert Snodgrass (Livingston), Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian)
Forwards: Ross Campbell (Hibernian), Graham Dorrans (Livingston), Calum Elliot (Heart of Midlothian), Steven Fletcher (Hibernian), Rory McAllister (Inverness CT)

Thats crazy, no lennon? rangers u-19s win the cup and the league but dont get a shout for the squad? Strange...i thought Tommy Burns had given up his job at scotland

odonnell

Eirebear wrote:

Thats crazy, no lennon? rangers u-19s win the cup and the league but dont get a shout for the squad? Strange...i thought Tommy Burns had given up his job at scotland

dont worry young sir! Next year!

[edit] email me you fool.... im having trouble with my office email and can only reply to received mail.

Blackjack

eirebhoy wrote:

I actually thought it was the squad for the Championships but it's just the squad to play N.Ireland on Thursday.

Goalkeepers: Scott Fox (Celtic), Andrew McNeil (Hibernian)
Defenders: Andrew Cave-Brown (Norwich City), Andrew Considine (Aberdeen), Scott Cuthbert (Celtic), Garry Kenneth (Dundee United), Alan Lowing (Rangers), Kevin McCann (Hibernian), Mark Reynolds (Motherwell), Greg Ross (Dunfermline Athletic), Lee Wallace (Heart of Midlothian)
Midfielders: Jamie Adams (Kilmarnock), Ryan Conroy (Celtic), Paul Emslie (Rangers), Sean Lynch (Hibernian), Robert Snodgrass (Livingston), Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian)
Forwards: Ross Campbell (Hibernian), Graham Dorrans (Livingston), Calum Elliot (Heart of Midlothian), Steven Fletcher (Hibernian), Rory McAllister (Inverness CT)

6 Hibees- more than any of the other teams!.:)

odonnell

until celtic and rangers buy them just as they make their break through to the firsT TEAM

Blackjack

odonnell wrote:

until celtic and rangers buy them just as they make their break through to the firsT TEAM

Pish!. Just because you don't have a decent youths set up!.:p

McNeil (only because we have no one else), Lynch, Stevenson McCann and Fletcher have featured regularly in the first team already this year. Campbell not quite as much but all have had their share of first team this year.

odonnell

Blackjack wrote:

Pish!. Just because you don't have a decent youths set up!.:p

McNeil (only because we have no one else), Lynch, Stevenson McCann and Fletcher have featured regularly in the first team already this year. Campbell not quite as much but all have had their share of first team this year.

How do you rate Whittaker? Word is Smith is in for him... havent seen him myself so i couldnt say

Eirebear

odonnell wrote:

How do you rate Whittaker? Word is Smith is in for him... havent seen him myself so i couldnt say

he's a good player mate, i'd certainly take him at a million or so, will beef up our squad a wee bit.

eirebhoy

I wouldn't. I don't rate him that highly. Decent going forward but I don't think he's good enough against a good winger.

Blackjack

odonnell wrote:

How do you rate Whittaker? Word is Smith is in for him... havent seen him myself so i couldnt say

Fantastic player. Along with Murphy probably very under-rated as a player. Whitty's come on greatly this year, will be interesting to see what happens during the summer.

Eirebear

eirebhoy wrote:

I wouldn't. I don't rate him that highly. Decent going forward but I don't think he's good enough against a good winger.

How would you know what he's like up against a good winger?
Ive seen Mcgeady fail twice against hutton this season!

BTW how long before someone complains about a hibs fan on this thread? or is that just reserved for bears? :cool:

odonnell

ach that guy hadnt even posted on this thread before then so.... cant really say much about contribution. And as PaulMN pointed out - we are at the very least, keeping this thread alive and arent STOPPING people posting about celtic or taking the thread away from them.

Now....about them teddy bears....

eirebhoy

Eirebear wrote:

Ive seen Mcgeady fail twice against hutton this season!

Hutton has been your best player in about 80% of Old Firm's in the last couple of years. Him and McGeady have great battles. The last game was the first time McGeady didn't play well against Rangers in ages. He definitely played well in the game before that.

McGeady had Whittaker on his arse before scoring against Hibs this season.

Blackjack

eirebhoy wrote:

McGeady had Whittaker on his arse before scoring against Hibs this season.

Just wondering on your rationale. Does that make Brown Rubbish because Sproule rounded him easily or McManus useless when Sproule poked the ball through his legs to score the winner on Sunday?.

eirebhoy

Blackjack wrote:

Just wondering on your rationale. Does that make Brown Rubbish because Sproule rounded him easily or McManus useless when Sproule poked the ball through his legs to score the winner on Sunday?.

I'm not basing my judgement on him on one bloody incident.

Blackjack

eirebhoy wrote:

I'm not basing my judgement on him on one bloody incident.

Any other examples of why you think Whitty is a poor player then?.

eirebhoy

He's a decent player, just not good enough for Celtic.

To be perfectly honest I'm a bit wary of signing Hibs players.

Whittaker, Murphy, Brown, Thomson, Beuzelin, Benji, Sproule, Fletcher, Killen...

If they're as good as Hibs fans say then what are Hibs doing 16 points behind Aberdeen? I can't think of an Aberdeen player I'd like to see at Celtic but all the above have probably been linked with Celtic or Rangers (or have already signed).

Blackjack

eirebhoy wrote:

He's a decent player, just not good enough for Celtic.

To be perfectly honest I'm a bit wary of signing Hibs players.

Whittaker, Murphy, Brown, Thomson, Beuzelin, Benji, Sproule, Fletcher, Killen...

If they're as good as Hibs fans say then what are Hibs doing 16 points behind Aberdeen? I can't think of an Aberdeen player I'd like to see at Celtic but all the above have probably been linked with Celtic or Rangers (or have already signed).

We've been 16 points behind the sheep due to **** keepers this year basically. If I put my mind to it I'd probably easily find 16 points or more that we've lost through Goalkeeper errors (most recent since being the Rangers draw 3 points, the last 2 Edinburgh Derbies, certainly 2 if not more, I could go on but I don't want to).

While your point on the players may be fair enough, I'd wonder as to how much you've seen of Hibs outside of games played against Celtic. Also, Killen won't be getting signed from Hibs as he's been let go. Boozy is a bit too injury prone and Benji is dodgy enough at times. Murphy has been linked with Bolton more than once, and Sproule needs to calm down a bit. Most of the ones you mentioned are quite young - Fletcher is only 20. This is why the old firm have been taking players, (Murray, Caldwell, Thompson, Brown, Riordan) from the Hibs team over the past few years. As soon as they start showing any promise it's impossible to keep them at the club when offers of double the wages are placed in front of them.

The issue there is that Hibs have a wage cap of about 2,500 a week - try comparing that with the availability of wages at Celtic (probably closer to 25 Grand a week) and you can see why they move on. I'm not moaning about that, that's life - Parkhead and Ibrox can hold over 40,000 and have a huge non-Scottish fan base, Hibs have a capacity of 17,000 (could increase if they use the planning permission on the East stand) and you'd be hard pushed to find many fans outside of Scotland, or even Edinburgh if you were to push it. Comparing most non-Old firm teams in the SPL with the Old firm teams is just a nonesense really. Without the fanbase and Stadium capacities, they can never really compete with them, they can only hope for 3rd place.

And before anyone starts about how hearts split the old firm last year, bear in mind that Rangers had one of their worst seasons ever, and Hearts now owe more than they're worth to a Ukranian Bank, with no place in Europe or Silverware from this year to show for it.

eirebhoy

I've actually seen more of Hibs than any other team in the SPL this season bar Celtic obviously. They've been on telly loads.

Fair post. You'd know more than me about Whittaker, as would Strachan and he's apparantly interested.

Blackjack

eirebhoy wrote:

I've actually seen more of Hibs than any other team in the SPL this season bar Celtic obviously. They've been on telly loads.

Fair post. You'd know more than me about Whittaker, as would Strachan and he's apparantly interested.

Strachan is a Hibs fan, but I'm sure that won't cloud his judgement. Do Celtic need another Right back?. Whitty used to play in Midfield when he started in the first team, so perhaps he's looking for a bit of versatility.

PauloMN

eirebhoy wrote:

He's a decent player, just not good enough for Celtic.

To be perfectly honest I'm a bit wary of signing Hibs players.

Whittaker, Murphy, Brown, Thomson, Beuzelin, Benji, Sproule, Fletcher, Killen...

If they're as good as Hibs fans say then what are Hibs doing 16 points behind Aberdeen? I can't think of an Aberdeen player I'd like to see at Celtic but all the above have probably been linked with Celtic or Rangers (or have already signed).

I'd have Anderson at the right money.

As for Hibs, I'm happy with who we've signed so far from Hibs, especially Brown of course. So long as we never sign their keepers...... :eek:

Eirebear

Eirebhoy, according to SSN this morning the Scotland U-19s played turkey last night in the Euro championships and got beat 2-1...steven lennon scored....im confused

eirebhoy

The World youth Championships is U20's. It's the squad that got to the final of last years U19 European Championships.

Eirebear

eirebhoy wrote:

The World youth Championships is U20's. It's the squad that got to the final of last years U19 European Championships.

Ah right...that'll teach me to read eh?

odonnell

right lads - cup final scores?

eirebhoy

I actually think Dunfermline are a great value bet to win the match in normal time at 9/1. In saying that the players got a well needed rest last week so Lenny, Naka, Jan, Naylor and the others should be fresh. Celtic to win by the odd goal.

PauloMN

odonnell wrote:

right lads - cup final scores?

I'll go 3-1 to the Bhoys, after a tense start... Hartley to clinch his first, Naka and JVoH to finish the job.

I hope I haven't jinxed them now!

odonnell

PauloMN wrote:

I'll go 3-1 to the Bhoys, after a tense start... Hartley to clinch his first, Naka and JVoH to finish the job.

I hope I haven't jinxed them now!

aaaaaaah - we can but hope my good man - we can but hope!

incidentally - eirebear and myself will be in some random pub in dublin watching this game so... if you see two huns in the corner wearing dunfermline strips - thats us!

eirebhoy

I'll be watching it in the house. In saying that, I'll be on the bottles from about 11.

eirebhoy

Tennent’s Scottish Cup Goes Global !

The Tennent’s Scottish Cup final will be seen by even more supporters worldwide this weekend thanks to a new Scottish FA online service.TSCLIVE

Supporters who wish to view the match abroad will be able to register online at www.imgworld.com/scottishfa/ and view the game live on Saturday.

The service will be free of charge on this occasion and is available to all supporters who live outwith the United Kingdom.
This is the first time the final has been shown live on the Association’s web site and is part of an overall trial that is being carried out with our partner IMG media.

This online service is not available to supporters within the UK as they will have the option of watching the match live on television with both BBC Scotland and Sky broadcasting the match live.

Kick off is 3.00pm UK time.

Blackjack

eirebhoy wrote:

I actually think Dunfermline are a great value bet to win the match in normal time at 9/1.

well worth a tenner at those odds.

Im_No_Superman

odonnell wrote:

right lads - cup final scores?

Ill go 3-1 to the Bhoys. McGeady, Nakamura and Miller.

eirebhoy

McGeady having a nightmare so far. Naylor too. Dunfermline the better team but Boruc hasn't had anything to do. Jan should have scored, cracking cross from Miller. Naka his usual self, needs more of the ball as usual.

Bounty Hunter

5mins left celtic score is it their cup

edit: gotta love the pogues playing as they lift the cup

PauloMN

Only caught the last 10 mins (long story :mad: ), but the 1-0 scoreline - and the late goal - would seem to sum up our season. Obviously delighted we got the win of course, and in the long run that's all that will be remembered, but we need to improve a lot for next season.

Those who saw the game, what did you think overall? From what I was seeing in the online commentaries, it seems midfield was the weakness again. I wonder about Hartley and whether he's really up for it, it's good that Lenny will be gone and Brown will be in there, but we need another quality midfielder and a striker during the summer.

eirebhoy

Well next season we'll have Scott Brown in midfield beside a deep lying playmaker aswell as a proven partner for Vennegoor. There's no doubt they'll be a completely different team next season.

A Brazilian international Mozart is the latest linked. A Pirlo type player. He played with Naka at Reggina.