Scottish Football 2014/2015

[Treva ★]

What? It's a training cup, isn't it?

Anyway, Mr. hearn's advice seems to be quite good, but he's so very wrong about alcohol. It doesn't help.
Also, 'customer experience'? We're fans. Football's where it's at, dammit. If you need booze to cheer for your team then get another one to support, or move out of my way and the country in no particular order.

[Mausolos of Caria]

Besides... "Worst SPL ever - no Hearts, Hibs, Rangers and Smelltick will have won the title by December" - Mausolos of Caria, this summer.

And where was I wrong with that?

Also, 'customer experience'? We're fans. Football's where it's at, dammit. If you need booze to cheer for your team then get another one to support, or move out of my way and the country in no particular order.

100 % agree with that.

[Cold_Mac]

And where was I wrong with that?

You've got a very average Celtic side, less than 4 points ahead of anybody else. Two awesome promoted teams and continued success from your darling Dons.

Having the current Rangers or Hibs side wouldn't improve the top flight. It's probably the best experience for the restructured Hearts squad to win the league, gain valuable experience and return next year as a settled unit. I honestly feel it's just another naff excuse.

Anyway, Mr. hearn's advice seems to be quite good, but he's so very wrong about alcohol. It doesn't help.
Also, 'customer experience'? We're fans. Football's where it's at, dammit. If you need booze to cheer for your team then get another one to support, or move out of my way and the country in no particular order.

Don't think that's that angle he takes. More that people tend to go to the pub with their mates with a few beers to watch a match they could possibly attend.

The best, easiest method to coax people back would be to introduce safe standing. It would deal with the overpriced tickets, too and even make Hearts fans shut up about their seats. Clear advantage to the celebrity boys down south.

Just how great a quote is this - "I look at Scottish football and see a nation with its head down looking at its shoelaces. You're better than that. When I started off with the darts and snooker, we were way down, but we believed in ourselves and had a bit of a passion. Sometimes organisations get into that mode of 'Oh, that's how it is'.

[Mausolos of Caria]

Yeah I still see it as being right So... what do you guys want to discuss? The legend of Super Ally? The battle of Motherwell? Or the Parkhead's easy European draw?

[Cold_Mac]

Agreed about the euro-draw
Inter Milan isn't a particularly good side, a very average squad and has to focus on their domestic stability to even ensure european football next season. The 3 matches I saw from them were very lacklustre and disorganized, can't imagine that Mancini might change that :surprise

Well, Rangers...You should know you effed up if you accumulate a -22m balance sheet over three years, especially with their advantages, don't you? Do you feel sorry for them/their fans?

In terms of history it's a ironic for them and a tragic comedy for us that McCoist & Walter Smith are pivotal parts of the 2nd greatest era of their club and yet were so complicit in their ultimate downfall. It's like Bill Struth, George Young, Willie Woodburn & Bob McPhail setting fire to Archibald Leitch's Main Stand like Aléxandros did with Persepolis.

In the current circumstances, shouldn't it have happened already? The squad McCoist assembled is akin to the Expandables. It's not even "too good" for the second division and they failed to win the Challenge Cup against minnows. Gets the 2nd best pay-checks in the country though, and has been for the last 2 years.

[Mausolos of Caria]

Exactly. They are only 12th in Serie A and might not even send their best team. Sure, they are still the favourites, but I reckon you have a chance as good as it can ever be against Inter.

About Rrrraangers... I think it was even 32m, not 22m But yeah, it's a strange saga, I like your comparison with the Expendables I do feel sorry for some of the fans since they are not at fault for it, but it's just a massively failed company so far. We'll see what's gonna happen on that front, but Rankers will probably want to concentrate on the search after a new manager now.

[Treva ★]

Simply copy and paste whichever post I've made you prefer about how Rangers could easily, frugally, have won promotion with 70-75 points in each of the last two seasons.

[Mausolos of Caria]

Yeah. Of course it's a different case (lesser clubs, less income etc.) , but I still like the comparison with Queen of the South and Alloa Athletic. QotS also won the 3rd tier very comfortably with 80+ points AND won the Challenge Cup the same season, beating Rangers. Alloa also got two successive promotions, and both of them have beaten Rangers this season. Both combined have probably spent less than 10 % of those 32m.

[Cold_Mac]

There was no reason why they bought an entire SPL-select when they were demoted to the 4th division. Those who stayed & the managment team remaine(d) on old 10k+-wages. The kind of Ian Black, Fauré etc got a 25% wage increase per year on top of their 7k p/w. McCoist & co. were annually on more than Lennon & his managment team.

Spot on, Mausolos. The fans have been neglected and abused. Almost feel sorry for GermanBear Would it be fair to blame it all on the boardroom vultures though? When you start your reclaim amont Celtic with a baggage of that squad and a 32/22m loss...how was this supposed to work out? McCoist seems to insist on a pay-off too, last evidence that he's in it for the money, not just for the love of the club. As if the 2347-backings of venture-capitalist owners weren't enough...

So perhabs we won't even see the League Cup derby....

Besides - we were really, really good against Motherwell, St. Mirren & Partick. Absolutely lovely performances and definitly gaining some momentum with 8 consecutive wins.

Those Edinburgh mugs are still unbeaten....

[Mausolos of Caria]

Yeah, the whole transfer policy was just like ''Let's buy all the big guns and then we will be promoted without having to do anything'' instead of rebuilding the Scouting department. The best example is how they signed Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd and how they've been rather disappointing this season, instead of just trusting in a younger player like Nicky Clark. In the end, everyone is at fault, the board and chairman for the financial crisis, the manager for taking the money and his lack of ideas for the team and the team for it's arrogance and laziness on the pitch. Most of all, every club needs internal peace and unity to work successfully.
Hearts have achieved that after their administration and I will be ever grateful to Ann Budge, Craig Levein, Robbie Neilson and Co for succeeding in this. It's easy to pick more examples were internal disorder has led to disappointment on the pitch, Hamburger SV, Inter Milano, St Pauli, just to name a few.

[Treva ★]

What name did I just read there?

[Mausolos of Caria]

Levein? He might have utterly failed as Scotland manager, but he's still a great figure in Hearts' history and doing a great job right now. Oh and SuperAlly is already back as Rangers manager And I thought he was about to join sacked Mark Roberts, Tommy Craig, John McGlynn and Jim Jefferies in a poker tournament in Clydebank next month!

[Treva ★]

Ally in, board out. Strangely enough, this board only seem to be doing half of that.

[Cold_Mac]

Ally in, board out. Strangely enough, this board only seem to be doing half of that.

You are really keen for that Petrofac Cup, aren't you?

Although you had the possibility of Argentina winning the WC in brazil to soften the blow.

Levein? He might have utterly failed as Scotland manager, but he's still a great figure in Hearts' history and doing a great job right now. Oh and SuperAlly is already back as Rangers manager And I thought he was about to join sacked Mark Roberts, Tommy Craig, John McGlynn and Jim Jefferies in a poker tournament in Clydebank next month!

Whats your take on Jefferies? I mean he was one of the more reputable managers in the SPL & got Dunfermline relegated twice and has really struggled to get them up & running for promotion. Apparently he was really unpopular with the squad & fans, akin to Levein as scotland manager.

Like your Levein assessment - just got through Gary Mackay's book about Hearts and almost anybody rates Levein as a truly gifted defender and lateral thinker. The Director of football post seems perfect for him, given his knack of finding cheap talent and moulding them into a unit. Perhabs a more suitable role for him. Even with Dundee United his tactics tended to be very rigid & conservative.

Btw as bleak as the current times might appear - we got 4 big clubs verging on becoming debt-free; Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs & Dundee United. 3 of those 4 have increased their attendances, too. Quite an achievement after all the doom-singing.

[Mausolos of Caria]

Both of that is true, yeah. Right now Budge, Neilson and Levein seem to form an effective triumvirate*- long may it continue! As for Jefferies, he's of course another figure from Hearts folklore, but there's no doubt HE was indeed always quite conservative and rigid. I still accepted him to do well at Dunfermline and with their squad it's really surprising they can't really get going in the League One this season. We'll see what his successor can do, but credit to Jefferies for accepting that his time might be over and retiring from his post into, well, retirement.
He might not have been the most innovative figure in Scottish football, but his committment, honesty and integrity cannot be doubted. One of the old school, who departs a world of new and young managers, but at least at Hearts he will always be remembered in a positive way, like Levein. I have no idea about Kilmarnock, considering he had some success with them in the league, but amounted a lot fo debt by his yearly holiday... erm pre-season trips to Tuscany

[Treva ★]

You are really keen for that Petrofac Cup, aren't you?

It's the Challenge Cup.

Although you had the possibility of Argentina winning the WC in brazil to soften the blow.

Not so much. The Argentine government and FA did as much as possible to try and make me dislike them. And I tend to separate club from country.

[Cold_Mac]

It's the Challenge Cup.

Scottish football administration seems to have a thing for horrible names. A point-blank copy of the english leagues will definitly enhance brand values. Effin cuckooing.

Not so much. The Argentine government and FA did as much as possible to try and make me dislike them. And I tend to separate club from country.

Who's your argentinian club then? Got no clue beside the River - Boca rivalry. Well, that and the historical development from la nuestra to Zubeldia's cynicism with the Menotti vs Bilardo debate.

[Treva ★]

Scottish football administration seems to have a thing for horrible names. A point-blank copy of the english leagues will definitly enhance brand values. Effin cuckooing.

The Challenge Cup was a one-off in the nineties, to be held as a commemoration event for the centenary of the League or the Cup or something. It was unexpectedly popular and it caught on. Thus it became an annual event.

[Treva ★]

This time we were only two goals down to the Hibees by halftime. Clearly a sign of improvement.

[Mausolos of Caria]

We'll see if we can do any better on Saturday (don't get me wrong, we should). Happy Hogmanay and a great new year everyone!