Scottish Fitba 2024-25: Many of Horror

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

Celtic win the Double but face valid criticisms about their caliber/style of play, as well as questions about talent development and acquisition. Things are murky looking forward, but since it's the SPL, they'll still finish top of the league or in second and compete for the two domestic cups. Europe is another matter, however.

And speaking of Europe, the NT is gearing up for Euro 2024 after a fantastic qualifying campaign! First match is against the hosting Germans on Friday 6/14, which will be daunting to say the least, but the hope is they'll finish second in the group over Switzerland and Hungary.

Let the raillery begin!

 

[fletcherpost]

Celtic opening the wallet to get Idah over the line (subject to medical). God news cos Kyogo's dodgy shoulder is an issue moving forwards. He had to come off in the 75th minute at Easter Road. Rodger's is saying it's not too bad and should be fine in a couple of days but i reckon Idah will get plenty game time this season one way or another.

Celtic have agreed a deal worth up to £9.5 million for Norwich City striker Adam Idah.
It is understood the initial fee will be £8.5m, with £1m worth of add ons, with Idah keen on a return to Celtic and ready to agree terms on a long-term contract.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/13196140/adam-idah-transfer-news-celtic-agree-gbp9-5m-deal-to-sign-norwich-striker

 

[fletcherpost]

Massive home match for the Gers tonight against Dynao Kyiv at eh...Hampden Park. (Work still being done on parts of Ibrox so looking like some time in September before a return to Govan.) Rangers did well to draw 1-1 in the away leg.

The winners of the tie will meet either Twente or Salzburg, with the Austrians taking a 2-1 lead for the return in the Netherlands. The losers will drop into the Europa League.

Rangers started their temporary stint at Hampden with a 2-1 victory against Motherwell on Saturday.
Clement revealed players were a "little bit nervous" at the national stadium "because they really wanted to win", while supporters were also adjusting to new surroundings.
"For the fans it's the same, they need to get this feeling again and you cannot forget that for a lot of people it's a history of 30, 40, 50 years, watching football at Ibrox, all these memories and at the same seat," he said.
"So then suddenly to be in another seat supporting the team, it's a little bit strange. But the more we are at Hampden, the more it will be familiar for them. So I hope we can make this adaptation as fast as possible."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c3vxly6qyl4t

Since there's little chance any of the non Old Firm teams will contribute to the European coefficient, i would like Rangers to get through to the Champions League. But Rangers don't have Celtic's money...but then Rangers sem to be good at digging money out from somewhere and Celtic (Idah deal excepted) hate to dip into the £100M or so it's reported they have in the bank.

 

[fletcherpost]

Also, it has to be said Scotland were the worst team at the Euros. Clarke had his lads playing a curious brand of Anti Football that progressive coaches around the world turned their collective backs on decades ago.

There was a wee clip of Clarke and his assistant Carver at the Celtic game on Sunday. I don't think he's going to step down and i don't think the SFA will ask him to, cos they're thick as mince.

Callum McGregor rercerntly announced his retirement from inernational football, which i'm not mad at. When he gets back from Injury I'd like to see Lewis Ferguson get more minutes for the national side. Scotland need to sort out some better attacking options, but where and how they go about that i have no idea outside of giving Shankland more minutes, which doesn't enthuse me all that much moving forwards.

 

[fletcherpost]

Rangers failed to beat Dynamov Kyiv, losing 0-2. The first half was more or less even stevens, but Jefte was booked for his first tackle which was a fair yellow but sometimes the player will get a word from the ref to calm it down a bit, but not in this case. That ought to have sent some kind of alarm bell to manager Clement and it would have been prudent to sub the 20 year old Jefte at half time. But Clement didn't do that and five minutes into the second half Jefte makes leap to head the ball and there is contact with the Kyiv player but it's never a yellow in my opinion, but we've seen them given and so the player has to go and that was basically the match right there.

There was only 39,000 or so at the match, played at Hampden Park.

"I've seen the images back, it's clearly not a foul," Clement told BBC Scotland. "He jumps higher and that's everything that happens.
"He is not moving his arm towards the man or whatever. It is a very decisive moment and, in the end, it has killed the dream of the dressing room and killed the dream of more than 50,000 fans and you expect a better level of decision-making."

Goalkeeping great McGregor said the red card was "a big blow" as it came so early in the second half.
"It's an absolutely horrific decision," McGregor said. "It's that bad, I don't think the referee should work in the Champions League again this season.
"Anyone with two working eyes can see that's not a second yellow card."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cm2ndn4xmnmo

Rangers go into the Europa League. Goes without saying Champions League money would have been most welcome at Rangers, but they have to dust themselves down and regroup.

 

[CodPiece XL]

Rangers failed to beat Dynamov Kyiv, losing 0-2. The first half was more or less even stevens, but Jefte was booked for his first tackle which was a fair yellow but sometimes the player will get a word from the ref to calm it down a bit, but not in this case. That ought to have sent some kind of alarm bell to manager Clement and it would have been prudent to sub the 20 year old Jefte at half time. But Clement didn't do that and five minutes into the second half Jefte makes leap to head the ball and there is contact with the Kyiv player but it's never a yellow in my opinion, but we've seen them given and so the player has to go and that was basically the match right there.

There was only 39,000 or so at the match, played at Hampden Park.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cm2ndn4xmnmo

Rangers go into the Europa League. Goes without saying Champions League money would have been most welcome at Rangers, but they have to dust themselves down and regroup.

One of the worst yellow cards I have seen. He out jumped the player fair and square. Never a foul let alone a yellow. But the way the game is going in general, it’s turning into a non contact sport. Not saying they would have won the game, fairly even up to that point, but it was the turning point. Rangers were robbed of a fair shot at winning. The ref also has a bit of “ history” apparently.

 

[fletcherpost]

One of the worst yellow cards I have seen. He out jumped the player fair and square. Never a foul let alone a yellow. But the way the game is going in general, it’s turning into a non contact sport. Not saying they would have won the game, fairly even up to that point, but it was the turning point. Rangers were robbed of a fair shot at winning. The ref also has a bit of “ history” apparently.

With you mate. I read that the ref likes to rely on VAR to bail him out. I didn't think it was a foul either but when we look at it through the lens of where the game is now regarding contact...this is the present and the future. I still say there was merit in subbing Jefte at half time. He'd put himself about a wee bit in the first half and the ref loked like he wanted blood of some sort card wise.

 

[CodPiece XL]

With you mate. I read that the ref likes to rely on VAR to bail him out. I didn't think it was a foul either but when we look at it through the lens of where the game is now regarding contact...this is the present and the future. I still say there was merit in subbing Jefte at half time. He'd put himself about a wee bit in the first half and the ref loked like he wanted blood of some sort card wise.

The kid will hopefully learn. Understood about the manager should have subbed him, to me it was obvious, a walking red card but that wasn’t even a foul. Selfishly, I hope he plays against Celtic in Sept, he’ll be eaten alive in that atmosphere. I think a few in the blue shirts have no idea what’s coming. Hoping that Celtic can get a new center half to compliment CCV and a left back that can out jump Ronny Corbett.

 

[CodPiece XL]

CL draw for Celtic:

RB Leipzig (h)

Dortmund (a)

Club Brugges (h)

Atalanta (a)

Young Boys (h)

Dinamo (a)

Bratislava (h)

Aston Villa (a)

 

[fletcherpost]

Celtic opened the purse and pending a medical Arne Engels will soon be a Celt.

Arne Engels: Celtic agree record £11m fee for Augsburg midfielder

Celtic will pay a club-record fee for the Augsburg midfielder; the 20-year-old will be Brendan Rodgers' fourth new signing this summer; four-year contract agreed with the player as he becomes Matt O'Riley's replacement

By all accounts, that being everything I've read about this particular pursuit, Rodgers really wanted Engels as a replacement for the recently sold and (subsequently injured - terrible challenge by the way) Matt O'Riley. Rodgers has been very jocular in recent pressers, but when pushed on potential signings has made it clear about the need to strengthen...which is standard for a Celtic or any manager. But he also talked about how, yes you can sign a player for 3-5 million and sell for, say 10 million, but you can also buy for 10 and maybe sell for 30-40.

I've watched some videos of Engels and it's nowhere near enough to form an opinion but he seems to be very highly rated and Rodgers really wanted him. Engels has just been named in the Belgian squad for the forthcoming internationals.

 

[fletcherpost]

It was a tall order but Kilmarnock's european adventure is over. It's a shame really. I watched the first leg match and they were a goal down goinginto the 90th minute but conceded in the 96th, which was sad to see cos they just couldn't keep the ball and kill the game off and a two goal margin was always going to be tough against Copenhagen. They drew 1-1 last night to go out 1-3 on aggregate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cwyjwxrzrp0t

Derek McInnes said he is "immensely proud" of his Kilmarnock players, despite them falling short of upsetting Copenhagen as the Danes snatched a draw at Rugby Park to end the Ayrshire side's European journey.

A Marley Watkins first-half strike put buoyant Kilmarnock just one goal behind on aggregate, but they were unable to capitalise on any dominance and soon saw their dreams dashed in the second half by a Lewis Mayo own goal.

I'm disappointed. I want to believe KIlmarnock manager Derek McInnes has more about him that the average well regarded Scottish club manager. I want him to over achieve. He turned down the Rangers gig when he was at Aberdeen. I watched his Aberdeen side a good few times. I'd say they were solid and workmanlike. Much like his Kilmarnock team. But what about flair, nice passing football, players wtih skill who can take the ball in tight situations. I know these are not the desired qualities top of the list for teams who primarly seek to stay in the SPL...but it'd be nice to more flair in the SPL and McInnes ought to be one of the managers who get a bit more of that in his team.

 

[CodPiece XL]

Celtic opened the purse and pending a medical Arne Engels will soon be a Celt.



By all accounts, that being everything I've read about this particular pursuit, Rodgers really wanted Engels as a replacement for the recently sold and (subsequently injured - terrible challenge by the way) Matt O'Riley. Rodgers has been very jocular in recent pressers, but when pushed on potential signings has made it clear about the need to strengthen...which is standard for a Celtic or any manager. But he also talked about how, yes you can sign a player for 3-5 million and sell for, say 10 million, but you can also buy for 10 and maybe sell for 30-40.

I've watched some videos of Engels and it's nowhere near enough to form an opinion but he seems to be very highly rated and Rodgers really wanted him. Engels has just been named in the Belgian squad for the forthcoming internationals.

2.5 years in Scotland against “ hammer throwers” . O ‘ Riley was never injured. His debut lasted all of 7 minutes for Brighton, out until 2025. That was never a tackle, the guy went out to make a “ mark” . You and I are on same page about the game is getting too soft, but no place for that.

I’m not sure what people are seeing in Engels, but I will defer to more informed people. Derek Rae seems to have a high regard and I’ll take that for now. I’m the Greta Thunberg of criticism as far as Celtics recent transfer windows. A complete doom goblin. They just signed two players for the left side of defense which was a glaring weakness. We’ll see.

 

[CodPiece XL]

It was a tall order but Kilmarnock's european adventure is over. It's a shame really. I watched the first leg match and they were a goal down goinginto the 90th minute but conceded in the 96th, which was sad to see cos they just couldn't keep the ball and kill the game off and a two goal margin was always going to be tough against Copenhagen. They drew 1-1 last night to go out 1-3 on aggregate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cwyjwxrzrp0t




I'm disappointed. I want to believe KIlmarnock manager Derek McInnes has more about him that the average well regarded Scottish club manager. I want him to over achieve. He turned down the Rangers gig when he was at Aberdeen. I watched his Aberdeen side a good few times. I'd say they were solid and workmanlike. Much like his Kilmarnock team. But what about flair, nice passing football, players wtih skill who can take the ball in tight situations. I know these are not the desired qualities top of the list for teams who primarly seek to stay in the SPL...but it'd be nice to more flair in the SPL and McInnes ought to be one of the managers who get a bit more of that in his team.

I perhaps naively don’t understand why the Edinburgh teams don’t have a better standard of manager. Both teams could get an average of 17k punters flowing through the gates if they were half decent. But it seems they are in an endless cycle of hiring shit managers. Aberdeen, Dundee , and even Dundee Utd, seem to be on right track.

 

[CodPiece XL]

First Celtic- Rangers game of the season in about 30 mins. On CBS sports on this side of pond. Not surprisingly, all 4 new signings on the bench for Celtic. Don’t really know that much about Rangers players but it looks like they are playing 3 holding midfielders to stop Celtic controlling the midfield. This, in theory, should leave acres of room for the Celtic wingers. My biggest issue with the Celtic transfer window was not signing another winger … meaning a half decent difference maker even if it was just a loan. They look a bit light in that department. Having said that, Celtic bench looks a lot deeper now. Onward…

 

[CodPiece XL]

After a good initial 5 minutes, Rangers faded. Celtic cruising 2:0 at the half. Bernardo running the show. He’s been immense. He’s the one player that can really step up this season. Could be an absolute steal at £3.5M .

 

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

I'll happily take the draw vs Atalanta today, especially considering how titled the pitch seemed in Atalanta's favor.