buster.

Anyone else think the ref. has slight 'Homer' tendencies thusfar ?

Portugal have been doing what they usually do, ie. just about enough to get past the lower to middle ranked teams. If old habits die hard then they'll lose when they come up against the big team on Sunday. I think the tournament has been pretty much what you'd expect a modern day International summer Finals to be with the added feature of more localish wee teams having a go (due to new format). Lot's of hype Some decent games Lot's of mediocre games English disaster and subsequent fall-out Germany in the semi-finals Italy showing tournament nouce/spirit Host team in semi-finals 'Oh but we used to get to the Finals when I was a lad' Revelation team(s) and focus Fan chant focus - Don't like the format and the 3rd place qualifying option. - The refs have let too many tackles go and have encouraged cycnical challenges but at the sametime you could argue there has been a better flow to games. - Lots of the big names (players) have been 'quiet' on the pitch. - Strange seeing players from Hamilton, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen and none from 'Glasgow clubs'. Scotland won't but might be wise to consider 'writing off' upcoming WC campaign and instead of going with old experienced heads who have proved they aren't good enough under a manager who failed and who is now increasingly relying on spin, excuses and a friendly media...............appoint someone else with a view to using a younger set of players so as to gain experience looking towards the Euros of 2020.

Three or four times out of 48 is very occasionaly but 3 or 4 more than anyone else First couple of times was due to team news (eg. Italians playing reserves) and now if there is a change, it'll be tactical ...although you are pretty much only one Welsh goal away from the Blue jersey

Agreed Innovative idea and well done for giving it a go but doubt it'll be further explored. Looking forward, 5-10 minutes of the open part of a training session might be useful to pad out RTV news features on an ongoing basis.

Yes,..... (same predictions)........... but I always preferred page 3

Portugal 1 Wales 1 Germany 1 France 1

You'll never get 100% unity. However, if most of the problems are ironed out, group gets up and running and successful elections are held in August/September there is no reason why things can't get significantly better. You'll always have a small number of loud protestors/haters on social media because it's what they do and have done for years.

Chances of him joining are now probably significantly lower.

On the timescale/timetable you mention, when did they say they would come back to you ?

It's certainly true of Spain. It has improved over the last decade in that it isn't so much in your face or as easy to engage in. ------------- There is a book by Tobias Joes, 'The Dark Heart of Italy' which is an entertaining observation on Berlusscconi's time in Italy and how Italy functions.

There needs to be dialogue and communication between group(s)/members, rather than hysteria.

If the debate sticks to the actual issues and questions in a sensible and constructive manner that looks for solutions then fine, forget the co-ordinated campaign that seeks to destabilize /destroy /discredit. When the latter starts to infiltrate, it's only fair and right to point to it. Regards individuals, that will sort itself out but I'd obviously agree that better sooner rather than later.

When people talk about transfer fees, they tend to do so in isolation and don't always consider 'total cost' as per contract. (It's easier to go with the transfer fee because it is often in big bold capitals when the contract is usuually kept private) So Barton may have been signed on freedom of contract with no money going to Burnley but there will be a considerable amount of money going towards a signing-on fee and ongoing wages to consider. ie. a large part of what may have been considered a budget for new players is going to the player rather than another club.

I've tried to explain that there are various things going-on. The GOOD (the general direction and ecventual destination) Slow progress towards a more unified and powerful fans group The BAD (or current negative that shouldn't be ignored and needs sorting out) That there are teething problems and valid concerns (eg.perception of COI) The UGLY Certain people and co-ordinated campaigns that look to 'ride the wave' of the legitimate concerns/questions ....to destabilize/destroy plans and discredit individuals.

Spain and corruption is like bacon and eggs. It's embedded in the DNA of the country.

For me there are two different issues here that merge. 1. You have any legitimate questions/concerns for the fans groups, any teething problems for club1872, RF internal matters............. which have to be resolved between members/group. 2. You have a co-ordinated campaign against certain individuals that coincides/compliments what appears to be a co-ordinated move to destabilize the ongoing process regards club1872. 3. Two is riding on the coat-tails of One. With regard to 'style', CH isn't everyone's cup of tea. Like most of us he is an imperfect person. He tends to call a spade a spade, on occasion he's taken legal risk's and spoken out about what's been going-on amongst sp1vs, he swears at sp1vs coming out of court, he's emotions are invested in what became a struggle for survival at Rangers, in those dark days he invested more than most in terms of time and sacrifice. However even during those dark days there were a small section of our support were angrily and at times abusivly opposed to his efforts. They tended to be of a certain political persuasion when viewing Rangers politics and very generally were against DK, PM, RST, UoF and for those who stood against them. Fine, everyone is free to hold their own opinion and in the rough and tumble of social media this can get abusive, not nice but it's going to happen. So, CH and others like him have to develop a thick skin, it comes with the territory. However, when this develops into a co-orinated camapiagn that includes anonymous blogs accusing you of all sorts popping up at the sametime that a general push seems to be being made by those who want to destabilize fans groups (that isn't to say there aren't issues to reslove and questions that to answer/ there seems to be quite a lot to sort out). It must get to a point where taking a pop at those who have been opposed to you from the get go is like having a go at Celtic supporters. So, CH may not have been best advised to say what he did but you have to take into account what else is happening in the background, ie. the CH reaction is an angry retort and not his finest moment but the campaign that is looking to press buttons and take advanatge is underhand and dishonest.

Of course you are

I didn't say anything about an opinion. I pointed towards the obvious co-ordinated campaign against certain individuals that is riding on the coat-tails of the complaints directed towards fans groups.

CH was a brave man who put his head above the parapet and did a great deal of good in the interests of Rangers during challenging times and in a sometimes dangerous enviroment. Despite this, there were those who saw him and others beside him as a negative force who were doing our club damage and only thinking about self-interest. Most of those people have never changed their views and not only take every opportunity to throw abuse and slander his way but some seem to co-ordinate campaigns to discredit him (also applies to other selected individuals). Two or three days ago I saw an anonymous blog spring up from no-where and make serious unsubstantiated allegations against some of these individuals. The timing is no accident. This is a co-ordinated campaign and at the root of it is an unhealthy ongoing hatred. Yes, there will be teething problems with the new fans group and there may well be issues that need resolved but there is also something very unpleasent that is riding the wave.

There may well be teething problems regards fans groups and they will have to deal with issues raised. However what I am seeing beyond that is a familar pattern and it does those who take part in it no credit whatsoever.

Your post is more suited to other sites where there is a history in sustained efforts to discredit individuals.

Cue 40% of Spain saying ...."well he would say that, wouldn't he........" I agree with Cruyff and I don't think it that difficult to understand for the majority of objective observers.

Don't know the lass but to me that suggests she has done the right thing and is better off out of it.

All signings are gambles, to varying degrees. I'd suggest that the mgmt team try to minimise the gamble in many of the signings by part of the 'due diligence' involved being based on up close personal experience. eg. McParland has past direct experience of Barton and Rossiter. MW has the same of Hodson, Mariappa (was target). MW took the time and trouble to travel to New York to have a face to face with Kranjcar.

'Bale v Ronaldo' is a cheap and obvious media slant that pays homage to the galactico. Portugal have reached the semi-final despite of Ronaldo more than because of him. Bale has played a major part in the Welsh effort but it's the collective (including mgmt.) that has been the biggest plus.