Winners and Losers 27th August 2012
Winners
Steve Lomas
Despite defeat, a much improved performance, and although his post match interview was reminiscent of listening to Sandy Clark bemoan a ‘lack of luck’ , at least Lomas’ team looked up to the challenge.
The quality is there – the players still want to play for Lomas… we just need a few points on the board, but they need to come soon, and the next few games will present a real challenge.
Scottish Youth
While The Sevco Franchise (TSF) purchase SPL journeyman to help them achieve mid-table notoriety, the SPL clubs are taking the chance to blood their youngsters.
Celtic’s Tony Watt and Filip Twardzic both stared for Celtic on the weekend, while 17 year old Thomas Reilly scored a 90th minute equalizer against a Motherwell team who also provided debuts to two 19 year olds. If this continues a steady stream of youngsters will have three years top flight experience by the time TSF return to the top flight.
Something that can only be good news for the Scotland national team.
Tony Watt scored a double for a young Celtic team on the weekend.
Steven Fletcher
The most expensive Scot ever. A nation our size should be moving the heavens to get him in the national side. No matter how much of a ‘NED’ some people think he is.
(posted this before seeing this stat.  Most proflific striker in the EPL last season…)
Competition
1 point separates the top 9 teams. What was that we were told about a boring league?
Hearts and Celtic
Scottish clubs this season in Europe have not been given the best draws, but Hearts put on a fantastic display against Liverpool, while Celtic’s win in Sweden means Champions League football should be on the agenda this season.
Club finances
With Celtic set to get champions league football, but content to do so with a young Scottish team, their bank balance is going to be very healthy in 12 months time. And with other SPL teams cutting their budgets, yet cash flow staying the same (as confirmed by St.Mirren earlier in the week), bank managers of Scottish sides across Scotland will be much happier people this time next year.
TV rights
SKY paid approximately 5m pounds to show the Stoke v Arsenal game. On that basis, 10m for 40 Scottish games is a bargain…
Losers
TV rights
…on the other hand, the Liverpool v Man City game really showed up the difference in quality between the two leagues.
Steve Lomas
Again, also a loser. Rumors continue… results are abysmal. How long can he hold out?
Gregory Tade and Paddy Cregg
Missed an absolute sitter against Hibs. Prepared to be shot down on this, as we are only a few games in, but anyone else get the impression he was a ‘back up’ signing in case we didn’t get our number 1 targets, which I assume, were Beattie and Vine?  Meanwhile, is Cregg any better than say Moon?
Kevin Moon
A winner last week but very much a loser this week. Not played despite Murray Davidson carrying an injury and Millar out. He should be on the phone to his agent today planning his future away from McDiarmid Park. Something that I feel will come back and haunt Saints in the future. While other clubs blood youngsters, and put points on the board, ours sit on the bench.
3rd Division refs
I debated whether to write this, but given the underhand dealings, lack of transparency and blatant rule breaking that has occurred during the summer, it is understandable that every time a decision goes the way of ‘The Sevco franchise’ (TSF) questions will be asked.
The real question that should be asked is why the so called ‘refereeing elite’ are being asked to referee these games. Are the usual 3rd division refs not ‘good enough’ to grace the presence of Sally and co?
Red cards
While on the subject of refs, am I the only one to notice a rather high number so far this season? And is it only me, or have none of the red cards been little more than harsh second bookings, or handbags between two frustrated players.
In fact, have any of the red cards given this season been correct?
The Rangers creditors
D&P released another report on Friday, detailing how in the month of July they performed 382,000GBP worth of work on ‘behalf’ of creditors? What was achieved during that time? Allowing TSF to collect SPL prize money and answering Lord Hodge’s questions regarding conflict of interest.
Corporate law in this country stinks!
League Reconstruction
Lets just say TSF finish 4th in the 3rd division. Can anyone explain to me how a 3 league structure would include TSF in the 2nd tier without massive, and I mean massive, rule bending?
Great contributions you’re making Steve, also via TSFM. Bravo.
On your team, who do you see as a possible replacement for Lomas – if he goes? Personally, I thought Jimmy Calderwood did a terrific job at Aberdeen. The fans must rue the day they ‘forced’ him out. Jimmy for the Saints? Jimmy St Johnstone has a nice ring about it 🙂
Fans favorite seems to be Sheerin and Arbroath, although I think he would be a terrible choice. Other ex Saintees like Jim Weir have been mentioned as well.
Nick Dasovic is also a possible name which has been mentioned, as has Jody Morris who left us in the summer to go down south, and in hindsight, should have been made player manager when McInnes left.
One thing is for sure, we’ll go after a young guy again – its worked well in the past.
Are you being sarcastic about Fletcher? Levein has big credibility problems among many fans…….if he backs down over this issue he will lose credibility in the dressing room where it matters most. These stand offs happen from time to time, if the managers loses he is out! The manager should manage, that’s his job, players should play, Fletcher has said he does not want to play. Being ‘the most expensive Scot ever’ is only a comment on the nutty finances of the ELP, certainly not a comment on the abilities of Fletcher, and lets not forget he has not yet justified this price tag, eyebrows were universally raised at this transaction!
No, I was actually being serious. I know he is a pain – I know he is a NED – I know. But he is a seriously good player. We are a small nation and need our best players playing – he is one of those.
“Fletcher has said he does not want to play” – Whilst not agreeing with today’s modern-players and their questionable attitudes, Fletcher asked not to be involved for ONE game (v N. Ireland 2011) – THAT game where Scotland played with NO forwards !. Levein’s attitude towards Fletcher is markedly different when it came to Ferguson and MacGregor – players who DISGRACED their country – but they played for YOU-KNOW-WHO !!!
Deansy, did the Spanish or Barca strikers refuse to play in the next game when their coaches played 4-6-0? Fletcher told, by text, the SFA that he NO LONGER WISHED TO BE SELECTED FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM. Pretty clear! This is the first time I’ve heard anything different regarding a single match. When Levein took the job he agreed to wipe the slate clean for everyone, regardless of their crime or their employer, and move on. Need I remind you that Craig Levein is the only manager I’ve ever heard have the courage to come out after a game and call it as it is to the waiting press pack, remember this…………….
I have no real issue with ‘NEDS’ playing for club or country which is just as well really, but I do have an issue with people who are not big enough to accept they made a mistake or error of judgment. George Burley suffered with a squad who did not do as instructed and CL inherited the fag end of a this culture. I remember CL saying there were a number of players who acted as though they were doing him a wee favour by turning up to internationals. I wonder if SF was one those, just bad for team spirit with his general attitude. Now there are players who will get away with more than others, Cantona, Gazza, Best, that’s undeniable…….Fletcher may have talent but is a million miles away from that status.
Do you think a heavy defeat in Saints next game would finish off the Lomas period at Saints? 😉
…heavy defeat v Utd = End of Lomas? Yes. Is it going to happen? No, we’ll probably play a blinder and grab a draw from the jaws of victory by conceding a last minute penalty given our recent luck.
I get what you mean re: Fletcher, and yes, he isn’t on par with Gazza/Cantona/Gerrard etc, but we should at least be looking for a solution. For what its worth I can almost stand the unwillingness to play in some of the meaningless friendlies that get organised these days.
Playing for the national team SHOULD be the pinnacle of any players career – unfortunately playing for Scotland seems to take a back seat to playing in the EPL these days. I’m just not sure alienating our best players as a result is the correct course of action.
eague Reconstruction
Lets just say TSF finish 4th in the 3rd division. Can anyone explain to me how a 3 league structure would include TSF in the 2nd tier without massive, and I mean massive, rule bending?
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They could allow the play-offs first and as long as TFC don’t get knocked out first round they go up to new next level??
Ok, so what we are saying is that it will be fine to place a team that finishes 36th out of 42 teams, into the second tier of Scottish Football.
The best I can see them doing is 2 leagues of 16, taking us to 32 teams, and another bottom league of 10. To put Rangers into the 2nd tier they would have to ‘promote’ them over the 9th placed side in SFL2.
How on earth will a 16 team league work? 2 games each? Please don’t tell me we are planning a split again? The only way I could see a 16 working is if they factored in a regionalised league cup, with a group of regional teams (eg, Saints, Dundee, Dundee Utd, Another) which play each other home and away giving an extra six games a season. the top two could then progress to the knock out stages. It has benefits as it guarentees local derby’s (there is the 4 Celtic/Rangers games a year!) with larger attendances while allowing a 16 team league to work.
I would be dead against this though if a club finishing 36th in the Scottish league system was allowed to jump into the second tier.
If Sevco Franchise Ltd finished 4th in SFL3 but won the play offs they’d be in SFL2 at the point of reconstruction. With 2 leagues of 16 and a league of 10 then they would be in the new 2nd tier, the same as all the other teams in SFL 2. That seems fair so long as reconstruction is to benefit the overall game and not an just an excuse to benfit Sevco Franchise. Take a look at the Belgian league on how a 16 team league could work.
Regarding Steven Fletcher, you don’t have to move heaven to get him playing for Scotland. You just have to move Craig Levein.
Regarding Steven Fletcher, you don’t have to move heaven to get him playing for Scotland. You just have to move Craig Levein
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Quite OB! I’m astounded anyone would want to gas a manager to indulge a petulant player. Could it be that the anti Levein lobby now have a Martin O’Neil selection to prove that Levein is a buffoon and lets remember MON is always above criticism, he did after all, win as many trophies as Big Eck at the big hoose. 😉
I wrote the bit about Fletcher before I saw these stats. Whatever people think of his attitude he should be in a Scotland shirt!
http://sulia.com/channel/arsenal-fc/f/9fc6341b-c175-4a4a-8c0c-9df5fde0fb80/?source=twitter
Do you seriously think that 1 point between 9 teams after 4 games is evidence of competition ? Celtic and Dundee Utd have a game in hand and Celtic have played a ‘b’ team in 2 out their 3 games. The reality is the SPL is the most uncompetitive top tier in the world. Check out the odds for Celtic. Paddy Power have them at 1/100.
Never mind if having a few snide digs and pretending everything in the garden is rosy keeps you happy so be it.
Except of course Bob it’s competitive for everybody else now The Rangers are playing in Div 3. A two horse race is still a two horse race and most people in Scotland could care which of you win it. Now we’ve got a one horse race. The only folk who care are the ones currently enjoying their traditional loyalist days out in Berwick.
I wrote the bit about Fletcher before I saw these stats. Whatever people think of his attitude he should be in a Scotland shirt!
http://sulia.com/channel/arsenal-fc/f/9fc6341b-c175-4a4a-8c0c-9df5fde0fb80/?source=twitter
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I love statistics! Did you know statistically the average Scot has just under 1 testicle…..ya just cant argue with statistics! ……………can you?
So he scored the most ‘clear cut’ chances? Hmmmm……? If he had scored the most difficult ‘half chances’ (like he might encounter playing for Scotland) then maybe, lets see how he performs with the pressure of the price tag and the accompanying expectations.
Bob, when considering the competitiveness of the SPL best leave Celtic out of it. No team out side the big two in Glasgow have started a season with pretentions of winning the SPL for over 2 decades. (honourable mention for Hearts under Burley) Such bogus notions of a ‘competitive league’ have resurface since the death of Glasgow Rangers, and somehow the league will no longer be ‘competitive’, I don’t remember too many such complaints when Rangers were untouchable for the best part of a decade, only fawning praise for the high standards they set the rest. Indeed the nadir of Scottish football IMO was the spectacle
of Celtic and Rangers clobbering Kilmarnock and Dunfermline, to see who would win the SPL on goal difference, both some 35 points away form the nearest challengers, utterly humiliating for football in this nation. Call that competition? It is of supreme indifference to me who wins the SPL if is is not my team, but the inherent self-puffery of both halves of the old firm seem to over look this fact and expect everyone to gush at their rivalry. Look at the EPL , how many clubs realistically think they can win that division? The top end of any league is the preserve of a tiny minority, the competition for the rest is fierce and occurs in the race for Europe, top six, and cups,if you’re lucky, or against relegation if you’re not so lucky. I’d love it to be different, but radical change would need to occur before there is any competition at the top end.
Arabest
I agree with the vast majority of your comments. I fully accept it is absolutely immaterial to you who wins the league if it is not your own team.
My point is that each week almost without exception Stephen is trying to tell us how great the SPL is whilst at the same time anything involving Rangers is overwhelmingly negative. It appears to me he is falling into trap of many celtic-minded blogs in being desperate to criticise Rangers and/or media at every opportunity without justification.
For example – in the second paragraph about scottish youth why make the point in that way? why not omit the first sentence and simply praise the young players without reference to anything else?
I am certainly not suggesting Rangers should not be criticised where merited but they are now even being blamed for the choice of referee.
I am suggesting we have some perspective. A Saint Johnstone fan is surely better placed than most to write a blog on scottish football without being old firm centric.
At the moment that is not the case.
No blame is being attached to Rangers for a few of the issues you mention:
1) The referee. I am not blaming Rangers. They hardly have a choice. I am blaming the SFL and SFA for once again changing their rules to suit themselves. The usual SFL3 refs should be covering these games, WITHOUT the 4th official, as is the case at other games.
2) I mentioned Rangers along with the young players as it is something which is annoying me. Rangers are spending big wages on top SPL players – not squad players – TOP players. Meanwhile, youngsters are going overlooked. Granted, you are playing some, but Sally seems determined to buy a load of ‘internationals’ at the deteriment to the young scots. You could have walked the league by buying/loaning a few decent young scots from SPL clubs (Steve May spent 6 months at Alloa on loan. He finished the leagues top scorer and won the player of the year award. Who you ask? He struggles to get on the St.Johnstone bench…), but instead your signing players like Sandaza, Kyle, Black etc. You just don’t need them.
3) How is the SPL not competitive. Everyone is beating each other, and even Celtic aren’t walking away with it like everyone said they would. Now, if they go ahead with this crazy plan to sign Berbatov, I will have them in the losers column next week!
Bob – you ALMOST slipped into suggesting I side with Celtic. I DO NOT. The one thing in Scottish football other than corruption that boils my blood is being asked which ‘Old Firm’ team I support. The answer is neither, and I have just as much contempt for Celtic as I did for ‘Rangers’. The way TSF are acting right now, I will have as much contempt for them soon as well.
stevensanph on August 27, 2012 at 4:23 pm said:
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One thing is for sure, we’ll go after a young guy again – its worked well in the past.
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Good point. The principle of encouraging young talent perhaps includes managers too.
You’re frustration above at young Scots not being given a chance is something that’s frustrated me for a very long time too. From the blue side of Glasgow, if you weren’t alienated by loyalist chanting then the lack of any serious youth policy, which brought through local lads to be proud of, sort of made you lose heart.
It speaks volumes that the management style McCoist has learned from the legacy of Souness and Smith involves waving a chequebook. Perhaps this is the karma of a club who’s core support is obsessed with the past – cursed by its own history?
One reason I brought it up is its something that bugs me at St.Johnstone too. It has been 10 years since we last had a player come through our youth setup and gone on to be a ‘success’ (by that I mean a professional footballer!!)
When Paul Sturrock took charge he made an effort to bring our youths through, ably assisted by Alistair Stevenson who ended up with Rangers and Hibs. In that time we brought through Calum Davidson (sold for 1.75m, capped by Scotland), Philip Scott (1m to Sheff Wed), Danny Griffin (N.Ireland international), McCluskey (still playing in lower leagues), Keigan Parker (now at Ayr I think!), Stuart Robertson (at Morton I think) and a few others. We also kick started the careers of Paul Hartley and John O’Neil who had stalled after promising starts at Raith and Dundee Utd.
Since then nothing. It is similar situation over at Ibrox, where nobody has really made themselves first team regulars (I can think of Hutton as one of the few examples of a player thats come in and gone down south – not including players Rangers paid for like Naismith and Boyd). When you then look at who they have let go for peanuts it makes you wonder why they bothered signing all those ‘superstars’… Charlie Adam has impressed me greatly and I know St.Mirren fans raved about him when on loan – I am not the least bit surprised he has ended up at a top team.
Incase any Rangers fans think I’m being biased, I think Celtic can be accused of the same, as can other Scottish clubs bar maybe Aberdeen and Hibs and possibly Dundee Utd. What Celtic do seem to have done in the past few years is switch from a buying club to a selling club, following the examples of Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Bologna in italy, whereby they buy up young scots, or young foriegners (Porto and Bologna buy from Brazil, Argentina etc – Celtic seem to be concentrating on Asia) who will increase in value and sell them on for higher prices (Ki is an obvious example this season, but I’m thinking McGeady too… Hooper has undoubtedly increased in value as well since joining). There is a great article on theSwissramble about this very way of running a football club and how effective it is, and I think Celtic are starting to show other Scottish clubs the way forward. I think with reconstruction almost certain, which will mean no relegation, clubs are being a lot more willing to throw in the youngsters this season – something which can only be of benefit to Scotland in the future.
Meanwhile over in Govan they seem to want a team that could win the SPL… I just don’t get why. Surely you’d bank the season ticket sales and run a squad on a 1st/2nd division budget and still walk the league?? When Gretna were in this position they bought SFL1 players and a few squad players from SPL teams (I think Stevie Tosh, who couldn’t get in the Saints team was a good example) – Livingston did the same, but used their youngsters to great affect (and just look at the names now – Davidson/McKay (Saints)/Snodgrass (Norwich)/that guy at West Brom… who was their youth coach!!!) – why can’t Rangers do the same?? (a genuine question – not a negative dig!!!!)
Oops … ‘Your frustration above …’
😉
Yes, why can’t Rangers do the same.
In the current situation I’m convinced it’s because the manager of the new Rangers is continuing the same business plan and thought processes that destroyed the old club. But the lack of any real punishment for the utter failure of defunct Rangers has made it easy to continue down the slippery slope.
Hopefully, the bigger league will enable clubs not threatened with the absurd 1-down scenario to field youngsters, as you say. If nothing else, there’s quite a bit of money to be made from this form of ‘manufacturing’. I agree that Celtic are the more progressive of the big two, they always have been really.
Having lived in Scandinavia for three decades I’ve observed the events of Scottish football in a kind of reverse sequence. The new status these countries now have in international football proves that developing your own youth, via qualified coaches is the way forward for small countries. It’s so sad, as a Scotsman, to see our youth potential go untapped, not given a fair chance. It’s a betrayal of our nation’s children – and in a country with a history of social ills that’s almost unforgiveable.
Stephen
My understanding is that Grade 1 officials referee in all divisions so I’m not sure why Mike Tumilety refereeing would be considered unusual. No other SFL games have 4th officials but presumably as the Rangers game is being shown on worldwide TV the SFL have decided they want to try and show the game in the best possible light. I cant see how that is a negative.
It is impossible to judge how competitive the SPL is after only 4 games.
Regarding player signings perhaps I would like to see some more youngsters getting a chance but why shouldn’t Ally McCoist be able to sign whomsoever he chooses. In my opinion he is signing players to get through to January 2014 and also to give Rangers a reasonable chance in the cup competitions. He will of course live or die by these signings.
Unless you are very well informed you have no idea what these players are being offered in terms of wages. I strongly suspect it is not the figures which have been bandied about. Bear in mind that St Johnstone were able to offer Craig Beattie acceptable terms whereas Rangers were not.
I’ve heard it all now, the SPL is officially “competitive” after 4 games. Who needs rational thinking eh?
We could look at it in a simple and (probably) accurate way. Celtic will win the league at a canter while able to rest whoever they want, whenever they want.
We could also look at it in your warped way: Celtic are top with a game in hand…after only 3 games.
And yet despite signing top SPL players he needed the ref to intervene in the last few minutes to avoid defeat.
The point is Bob paying big wages – and trust me, I know what Shiels and Black are on – isn’t much of a strategy for developing anything. It smacks or arrogance and a refusal to accept either the opportunity or the predicament the new club are in.
You’re right though McCoist should be allowed to sign whoever he wants, otherwise how else will he win the Division, as It’s getting clearer and clearer he’s not got a clue what he’s doing.