alexscottislegend

Thanks for that dB. It has long been a bugbear of mine when we get called 'Glasgow.' My contention is that we were famous enough not to need the geographical soubriquet. I could accept it if Arsenal were known as London Arsenal or even Woolwich Arsenal but anglo commentators never see the need. Surely no one could confuse us with Berwick Rangers or Stafford Rangers? Pub quiz question: which English club contains the name of 2 Scottish clubs in its own name? (Queens Park Rangers).

I wasn't aware that it was a numbers game. If, as you claim, the ethnic cleansing wasn't very good (!) then how many deaths would it take to make it so? Don't think there were actually that many deaths in the Highland Clearances, numerically speaking, but if the term had been invented then, to me for one, that was an early example of the doctrine. Certainly, imperialism had the same aims then as in Israel. But, since you are so keen on data: The Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem have counted 565 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces since January 2009 (that is, after the end of the Gaza massacre known as “Operation Cast Lead”, which cost 1,400 Palestinian and 13 Israeli lives), while 28 Israeli civilians and 10 Israeli security personnel have been killed over the same period. Again, these figures show who is the oppressed and who the oppressor. The kidnapping and killing of three teenage settlers What is being presented as a sequence of events leading to retaliatory measures on both sides has now erupted into a crisis, which could be getting out of control. The Israeli army is in the process of mobilising 40,000 reservists and Netanyahu is threatening to send the army into Gaza, although just a few thousands have been mobilised so far. If that were the case, the number of casualties would definitely exponentially increase on both sides. But whatever the Israeli government does, this has nothing to do with concerns for its own citizens' safety. To spill more Palestinian blood and even to restore a direct Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, as some are demanding, would simply increase the determination in a new generation of Arab youth to fight the occupation with all means possible. The kidnapping and killing of three teenage settlers on June 12 by a rogue group in the West Bank allegedly close to Hamas ended the uneasy truce reached in 2012. This was simply the incident that was exploited to raise the level of tension. In other circumstances, this would have been seen as yet another tragic event in the decades-long conflict. This time, however, it was used as an excuse to launch a hysterical media campaign around the search for the kidnapped teenagers. I prefer to defer to opinions of well-respected intellectual giants like Asimov and Chomsky who cannot be said to be anti-semitic.

They've had money in the past and bought poorly. Leicester City have given me huge confidence and optimism. Being underdogs suits us I believe.

But you can say exactly the same about the Zionist concept. If you seek to ethnically cleanse a people of their own land why be surprised if they want to sweep you away?

I dunno, you may be right there, we'll not know for sure. Perhaps protesting outside the stadium may sort out the sheeples from the real peoples ! BTW You will hate me for this but for the good of Scottish football I hope Keltic get through. Dont care how much money they get, i am absolutely confident we can wrest the SPL from them; we have a better manager and better midfield. How good would it be for us to wipe the floor with the mega-rich CL squad?

Was trying to address the thorny question of politics and sport not trying to create a sense of 'whataboutery' No direct link for Keltic as a club but the fact is a team from Israel was playing in my country so i can see why some might see it as a chance to make a legitimate protest. Re RFC being thrown out of Europe, I too would be enraged as the singing of The Billy Boys is innocuous by any sane comparison. Do you not think there's a difference between heritage/identity and current political practice? I'd like to see us fly the Saltire as well as the Union flag; wonder what Eufa would say about that?

But EUFA needs to be consistent in the application of that rule, like referees who often are inconsistent. As reported elsewhere what about Basque flags and ETA for example? It's sad that sport has to be the conduit for political protest but sometimes you have to take a stand. I remember being furious when Scotland played in Chile in a stadium where shortly before thousands were murdered by Pinochet's generals.

Well in that case try empathising with the working classes of both sides who are victims of the divide and rule policy of imperialists and nation states everywhere.

That's what the mainstream media wish you to believe;Hamas have proposed a two state solution for Palestine in the past and has been rejected by Israel. You could not be more wrong to equate anti Zionism and anti semitism. My wife studied Judaism and synagogue friends of hers told her in no uncertain terms just how repressive Zioinists really are. In 2011 Israeli workers demonstrated for basic union rights. i would support them as I would Palestinian workers.

Neighbours who have been there for 2000 years who are suddenly ethnically cleansed when a people who never had a country decide they want one of their own. Not my view but that of Isaac Asimov, science friction writer and Jew who refused to rejoice in 1948. Noam Chomsky calls Israel a 'terrorist state' and he is Jewish. Some folk on here need to avoid using terms like 'scum' when referring to Palestine and not applying them to Israel. But then our precious government supports the Zionist state and calls anyone who opposes it 'anti-semitic': dangerous, easy labelling which assumes that nation states are never in the wrong.

Wallace has not been chosen because he is a left back and that is by far our strongest position; no reflection on him.

We don't have any choice here. Wilson instead of Greer? You have to tell us who is better despite Greer's age. Italy dont forget did quite well with a back 3 well into their thirties.

Some bit-part player. Kenny much-maligned. Don't forget it was he who set us on our way in the cup defeat of Keltic.

Seriously? How can they possibly justify that? Not boycotting Ashley merchandise to me is like crossing a picket line.

And two-footed as well! Looks a bargain for the money. We could make a lot here from the sell-on. Think of Wanyama and Van Dyke at Keltic - we could use dough like that. Not that I'd be looking to sell him soon - just thinking further down the line.

Can't blame them for fielding a reserve team with the real CL coming up, they only did it for the money, but the point is the SFA should never have allowed a fixture holiday in the first place. Wonder who is in charge there? Oh wait...

I hope that he is a target man type of centre forward, and good in the air - we're missing that type. Lost count of the times there was no one on the end of Wallace's crosses yesterday.

Did not that very thing happen to Kris Boyd there?

I know you're a cunning linguist dB but that's all Greek to me! At least I can improve my knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet.

Today Rodgers talked about how he didn't appreciate how good he is tactically! Well, he must be good at something because sure as hell he can't pass, time a tackle properly or even pop up with the occasional goal. He epitomises everything that is bad about Scottish football; he should be nowhere near the Scotland squad now and if Strachan prefers him to Darren Fletcher we're doomed.

If Rossiter is a better bet than Barton, according to some, then why have we bought the two of them?

Thank God we're not playing in Europe this year.

Rousseau - you are so right. We are woefully ill-equipped to deal with quality teams because the practise we get is against Scottish teams who get turfed out of the Euro qualifying rounds every year before the season starts. And we cheer when they get dumped! And I get pelters because I want us to be tested in the best quality environment. This is the difference between the English Championship and the SPL.