Europa League: Rangers ( recent Europa finalists) v Olympique Lyonnais (twice recent Cl semi finalists) Apparently past form is important when trying to polish a brown thing
Date: Thursday, 3 October Venue: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow Kick-off: 20:00 BST
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Propper, Jefte, Barron, Diomande, Bajrami, Lawrence, Cerny, Dessers.
Substitutes: Kelly, Dowell, Sterling, Kasanwirjo, Balogun, Igmane, King, Raskin, McCausland, Fraser, McKinnon, Lovelace.
Lyon: Perri, Maitland-Niles, Mata, Caleta-Car, Tagliafico, Tolisso, Matic, Veretout, Fofana, Lacazette, Cherki.
Substitutes: Bengui-Joao, Descamps, Caqueret, Orban, Zaha, Abner, Benrahma, Niakhate, Kumbedi, Diawara, Nuamah, Mikautadze.p
https://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/464150
Rangers manager Philippe Clement suggests a draw at home to Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday would still be "a very, very good result" given the gulf in spending power between the clubs.
Rangers v Lyon
posted 2 weeks ago
comment by Samus (Isle of) Arran (U22669)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by I'm not as think as you drunk I am.......... (U2115)
posted about 2 hours ago
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted about 4 hours ago
FWIW, I also think the SPFL might be at it with the fixtures to create swings at the top. They did the same last year and arguably it worked for them though injuries and other team dynamics play as big a part but first round Rangers have Hearts, Aberdeen & Killie away, Celtic have them at home - 3x banana skins, it seems too contrived?
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Agreed, then add TV scheduling. Last weekend Rangers get the earliest possible time to play after a Thursday game and Celtic get the latest time with a game on the Tuesday. Upsets sell TV subscriptions.
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Yip the SPFL computer peoples meet every year behind the back of the True Blues club somewhere in Scotland to totally work out the league fixtures to cause Celtic problems (checks table Celtic 6W, "0 scored, 0 Conceded)
Another stellar conspiracy from the people who brought you the caffeine season
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Think you are totally missing the point
posted 2 weeks ago
comment by Samus (Isle of) Arran (U22669)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by I'm not as think as you drunk I am.......... (U2115)
posted about 2 hours ago
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted about 4 hours ago
FWIW, I also think the SPFL might be at it with the fixtures to create swings at the top. They did the same last year and arguably it worked for them though injuries and other team dynamics play as big a part but first round Rangers have Hearts, Aberdeen & Killie away, Celtic have them at home - 3x banana skins, it seems too contrived?
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Agreed, then add TV scheduling. Last weekend Rangers get the earliest possible time to play after a Thursday game and Celtic get the latest time with a game on the Tuesday. Upsets sell TV subscriptions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yip the SPFL computer peoples meet every year behind the back of the True Blues club somewhere in Scotland to totally work out the league fixtures to cause Celtic problems (checks table Celtic 6W, "0 scored, 0 Conceded)
Another stellar conspiracy from the people who brought you the caffeine season
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🤣🤣🤣 totally missed the point
posted 2 weeks ago
Dammit Schiz, we can't keep doing this
posted 2 weeks ago
comment by Why the pallaver (apathe....ah what's the point) (U10168)
posted about a minute ago
Dammit Schiz, we can't keep doing this
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What thinking the same like logical people
posted 2 weeks ago
comment by I'm not as think as you drunk I am.......Schizophrenia was my idea!.....No it wasn't!.....You are never alone with a Schizo :D (U2115)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by Why the pallaver (apathe....ah what's the point) (U10168)
posted about a minute ago
Dammit Schiz, we can't keep doing this
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What thinking the same like logical people
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Hope you're good mate. Having my last red wine in Croatia before heading home tomorrow. Holiday over ☹️
posted 2 weeks ago
comment by Why the pallaver (apathe....ah what's the point) (U10168)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by I'm not as think as you drunk I am.......Schizophrenia was my idea!.....No it wasn't!.....You are never alone with a Schizo :D (U2115)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by Why the pallaver (apathe....ah what's the point) (U10168)
posted about a minute ago
Dammit Schiz, we can't keep doing this
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What thinking the same like logical people
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Hope you're good mate. Having my last red wine in Croatia before heading home tomorrow. Holiday over ☹️
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Never been there, bucket list. Hope its a big glass
posted 2 weeks ago
Can't believe its an open goal
posted 2 weeks ago
200, buugger, skied it
posted 2 weeks ago
comment by son of quebec (U8127)
posted 3 hours, 21 minutes ago
comment by I'm not as think as you drunk I am.......... (U2115)
posted 36 minutes ago
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted about 4 hours ago
FWIW, I also think the SPFL might be at it with the fixtures to create swings at the top. They did the same last year and arguably it worked for them though injuries and other team dynamics play as big a part but first round Rangers have Hearts, Aberdeen & Killie away, Celtic have them at home - 3x banana skins, it seems too contrived?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed, then add TV scheduling. Last weekend Rangers get the earliest possible time to play after a Thursday game and Celtic get the latest time with a game on the Tuesday. Upsets sell TV subscriptions.
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Just saw this story about Diarra. SILVER, will this affect the player trading model Celtic has? Any effect?
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I've been busy and only seen the headlines and not dug deeper into the ramifications. At a high level, I think it is unreasonable from an employer perspective for an employee to force a dismissal via deliberate misconduct. Of course, for the vast majority of 'regular' employees on 1,2,3,6 month notice periods this isn't a major issue but for players who tend to be the highest earners and most key employees at a club / company still with 1,2,3,4 years to run it becomes more morally complex.
Of MUCH more interest to me is the case of FC Swift Hesperange (Lux) v UEFA. I've searched but cannot see update since 2 years - if anyone is smarter on Google please enlighten me! They were / are arguing that not allowing teams to play under any jurisdiction FA is a violation of competition law.
Their argument is supported by both historical and geographical anomalies like Monaco, Wales, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Berwick but also a tiny country like theirs (pop. 650k) struggle to fulfil homegrown quotas from such a small catchment so is unfair. We all know it is.
So HUGE ramifications for countries like ours. I know this site is divided on keeping the SPFL or being able to play in England but I have long been a supporter of the latter. I see it as inevitable assuming no major changes in the world order.. Let's be honest, if you were starting from scratch now, would you organise soccer along country lines? No, you would go down the US franchise model to maximise financial return.
Now, obviously I am close to how thing work over there - good and bad - but it's no surprise the failed ESL bid was driven by US money analysts that can see that UEFA are failing to achieve the earnings multiples that US sports do.
Now the controversial bit - I can see the MLS become a force! We all know by and large performance correlates with money. See revenue below - all €
EPL 10bn
La Liga 4.4bn
Bundesliga 3.6bn
Serie A 2.9bn
Ligue 1 2.4bn
MLS 1.9bn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_sports_leagues_by_revenue
Actually, look at the list and thanks to two Glasgow clubs the SPFL is punching!
Anyhow, MLS is not gonna dominate anything in my lifetime. But most of us have witnessed a few false dawns over there but they are firmly established now with mass participation and growing supporter base.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Soccer_attendance
Majority of clubs at capacity - I consider anything >90% virtually at capacity. Added, every review there are cities up and down the country bidding to enter a franchise with the whole thing growing.
I digress - my point is whether it is legal arguments or competition from the US, eventually Europe will have to change structures. Why not sooner rather than later? A 75-80k CP, ditto Ibrox, playing in a BPL!
Bring it on!
posted 2 weeks ago
I actually posted on here years ago that I expected football to take the franchise route. And still expect that. And managers becoming head coaches with a GM doing all the player trading which is becoming more and more of a thing in football.