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While we're on the subject, I cannot agree with our manager's assertion that
Old Firm players will be in the dock more than anyone else due to being on
the TV more. Trying to compare Bobo off the ball forearm smash at Easter Rd
last season to Muscatt's behaviour at Livi when he was actually going for
the ball just doesn't cut it with this bear. Still, I suppose we should be
grateful at least that our manager has actually came out and slated the
blatant unfairness of it all. It is to be hoped we take these chancers all
the way if need be.
Not that Muscatt comes out of this whole episode smelling of roses. Rightly
or wrongly, this guy came to Ibrox with a 'reputation'. He has sinned and
then some in the past and if his behaviour has warranted people trying to
sue him? Then these cases need to be judged on their respective merits.
But why, oh why has no one at Ibrox took this guy aside and told him that he
needs to be squeaky clean in a Rangers jersey? That if he didn't behave
whiter than white, then being invited to attend a Kangaroo court, just as he
was last Friday, would be the inevitable conclusion.
For one reason and another, I wasn't in attendance at last Saturday's game.
But by all accounts Ronald de Boer shed his invisible man's costume from 5
nights previously and wowed the crowd with some nifty footwork and general
all round intelligent play. Somehow we just knew that was going to be the
case.
Mr de Boer just has to be about the most infuriating talent I have ever had
the doubtless privilege of watching in a light blue jersey. We all know he
has vision and an awareness about him a' la Laudrup and Gascoigne. You also
know that he will give us the odd glimpse of it. But only when he wants and
only on his terms. That is just not good enough. The biggest indictment of
this man's criminal waste of talent is that when people come to review this
period in Scottish football, many years from now, Moravcik will be
remembered as being an altogether more profitable and talented footballer.
If that doesn't make de Boer's apologists cringe, then nothing will.
This week's so called bluenose journo, who should be led out blindfolded,
tied to the blue gates and shot is Andy McInnes of The Express. Andy was
apparently offended at the Rangers brass band's rendition of God Save the
Queen during last Saturday's match.
Now I'm not going to be drawn on whether or not GSTQ should be played/sung
at your average, run of the mill football match. Frankly it doesn't bother
me one little bit. What does bother me though is that not once have I ever
read McInnes single out The Fields of Athenrye, or any of the other charming
pro terrorist ditties at the munky-hoose. Yet GSTQ 'left a bad taste in his
mouth'?
This week's 'Writers Corner' comes to us, would you believe, from Dublin of
all places. Now given that Croke Park was still very much in the news last
weekend, I cannot let this wee sentence from James Joyce's 'Ulysses' go
without comment. "There's the man', says Joe, that made the Gaelic sports
revival.. The champion of all Ireland at putting the sixteen-pound shot.
What was your best throw citizen?"
The man who made the Gaelic sports revival was of course, Michael Cusack,
who founded the GAA in 1884. This was 40 years before he was immortalised
by Joyce as the biscuit-tin throwing anti-Semite citizen of Dublin. This
wee piece will no doubt have yahoos everywhere screeching that Joyce was in
fact a liar and that Citizen Cusack never threw a biscuit tin in his life.
Let's keep with the septic Diaspora. Our old pal, page 58, at the News of
the Screws was up to his old tricks again last Sunday. New Rangers Chairman, John McClelland is hardly in the job 5 minutes and already he has incurred the
wrath of Fergie's butt hole surfer. In a wee throwaway line he said
McClelland was giving out all the wrong signals to the Rangers support by
saying that even if there were cash generated from a UEFA cup run, none of
the proceeds would be going to the manager. Aw shucks Gerry, I didn't know
you cared.
Not content with that, McNee then aimed a sly wee dig at 60s Chairman, John
'A home of your own' Lawrence, for good measure. Rangers have never had a
Chairman of stature according to McNee.
Goodness knows, I was never a fan of Lawrence, but perhaps McNee could
enlighten as to who he actually thinks is or was a good Chairman. Louis
(I'll make sure Man Utd are always managed by Catholics) Edwards perhaps?
Or what about his son Martin? Given the current revelations about young Mr
Edwards, I'll wager that McNee will take the Fifth on that one.
Or what about much nearer to home for McNee then. Perhaps he can tell us who of those footballing legislators at the munky-hoose have ever aspired to
greatness? I mean, you do have to wonder why McNee can't (or won't) give us
his opinions on Bob Kelly? Remember, this is the guy who tried to punt
Jimmy McGrory, - the man McNee describes as the 'Greatest Celt of all time -
behind his back.
Or what about Desmond White. The man who thought nothing of coming out and giving very public details about private loans between the club and of one
of Celtic's greatest ever servants? Yeah, let's hear it for that smooth talking diplomat. While we're about it maybe Gerry could tell us about Desmond's old man, Tom, the Home Rule soapbox specialist. Perhaps this is another piece of Celtic's oh so 'sporting' past, Gerry would rather keep quiet about.
The hatred of all things Rangers by the common garden yahoo knows no bounds. When a guy like John Lawrence, whose crime apparently was to want working class Scots to be able to buy 'a home of their own', is still being
pilloried a couple of decades after his death. Yet a couple of guys who
helped hush up the sporting of all time, get off Scot-free? Then that tells
you all you need to know about what lurks behind the yahoo's fevered brow.
Next up we had Super Ally having a swipe at Rangers' many shortcomings in
Prague. He also tells us that Alex McLeish will rue the day he sold Flo.
I've no qualms about pundits coming out and speaking bluntly. It seems to
me though that Ally has forgotten about other disastrous Rangers
performances in Europe. Especially the ones involving himself.
It reminds me of the scenes in Glasgow Airport, almost seven years to the
day previously from the shame in Prague. Ally was all smiles coming through
customs as we touched down in the early hours of the morning after another
CL shambles in Bucharest. He soon stopped smiling though, when one irate
fan turned on him and asked 'What the feck have you got to smile about
McCoist?' Ally really would do well to remember the old adage about people
in glasshouses and all that.
There was another telling little quote about Euro 2008 last weekend which
tells you all you need to know about the Ibrox management and their
sickening apathy and lack of feeling for the rights of the club. As far as
I'm concerned - and I don't think I am alone on this one - after the way The
SFA shafted Rangers with regards to Ibrox hosting a European trophy
throughout the 90s. We should have told The SFA that under no circumstances
was Ibrox being used at Euro 2008. What do we do? Not only will we allow
them to use Ibrox if this farce comes to pass. We've also thrown in the
facilities at AuchenMurr.
When it is okay to sidle up to The SFA for a fistful of Euros, even though
this organisation has spat on the graves of the victims of the Ibrox
Disaster(s). Is it any wonder the likes of Ron MacKay can make jokes about
it? Murray is the Custodian of the club? Don't make me laugh.
Who are the biggest cheats in football? (Let's be honest here, Larrson is
the exception to the Swedish fair play rule) Well in my formative years, the
Tallies, Argies and Uruguayans were the most loathsome of all. However when
it comes to pure cynicism and cheating nowadays, nothing and nobody beats
the Germans. They are in my opinion, with very few exceptions, the scum of
the footballing world.
That Teutonic penchant for going down as if poleaxed, when in fact nothing
untoward actually happened was there for all to see once more in Tuesday
night's CL clash between Leverkusen and Man Utd. Now I'm pretty sure that
Man Utd fans will disagree with me strongly on this one. But as a neutral,
I wanted Rio Ferdinand to be sent packing on Tuesday night. Because surely
the injustice of it all, allied to the fuss that English commentators would
have made aided and abetted by TV evidence would have meant that there would have to have been a Stewards Enquiry into the dive by the German. Maybe at long last these conmen would have been at long last put under the spotlight.
For all their strengths and undoubted skill and technique, the Germans are
an affront to the beautiful game. They would be willing to lose in group
sections if it helped their cause. They will openly play for draws with
their chums to help their aims. They will cheat and they will dive. They
can also maim when they want. Yet time after time, they get away with the
prize. The saddest part of Tuesday night is that technically Ferdinand
could have walked. And for what? A cuff round the ear which would not have
floored a two year old. It is to be hoped that somewhere along the line
someone in authority will tackle these Krauts who sour football with their
antics. But I won't hold my breath.
It's amazing how success blinds you to the faults of some people. Dick
Advocaat laying into his former charges this week is proof of the man's
dreadful arrogance and poor man management skills. Yet the fact is, none of
this mattered when we were winning. I never read it all, but a couple of
wee snippets I did catch tell you everything you need to know about his
disdainful attitude, and how he put himself before the well being of Rangers
FC.
First off, he told us that he didn't want Tugay to leave, but he couldn't
guarantee him a first team berth. Now I don't have a problem with that
attitude in a manager. In fact all managers should be of that frame of
mind. But what a pity the same set of rules and criteria didn't apply to
Ricksen and Konterman. There was never any chance of this pair being
dropped, was there? Advocaat's vanity and stubborn, foolish pride would not
allow it.
Next up, he actually had the audacity to say that he considered himself a
success last season. Words fail me. The fact is we trudged out of the
first home game of the season - a goalless draw against Livi - knowing full
well that the league was beyond us. The league was in fact finally over
with 6 months of the season left. We were baulked out of the CL with
another two-legged debacle against crap opposition. Add in the fact that in
the calendar year we suffered five consecutive OF defeats on the trot. Yet
Advocaat felt over all that wasn't too bad a record? With this type of
mentality at the helm at Ibrox, is it any wonder the club was ripped apart
so quickly?
I said last week that it is always especially sad to see a Rangers manager
leave Ibrox for whatever reasons. Yet when you consider the contrast in
behaviour between Advocaat and the dignified silence of Walter Smith when he
left, then to be honest, it really is hard at the present time to feel much
sympathy for the Dutchman. Full marks however go to him for gall and
outright audacity.
So it's those triers frae bonnie Dundee this weekend. One thing's for sure.
I don't see them folding quite as easily as they did when they visited the
East End of Glasgow earlier in the season. No matter, if we treat this
shower with the contempt they deserve and show the correct attitude, then
the Teddies should get the holiday weekend off to a nice wee start.
Just do it Rangers.
See yas,
The Govanhill Gub