Uilleam

He's not wrong, is he?

Hardly performance enhancing, iIrc....... Russia’s entire 2014 World Cup squad face Fifa doping investigation • Investigators deem all 23 players in Russia’s 2014 squad ‘people of interest’ • 34 Russian footballers in total are among 1,000 individuals being looked into Martha Kelner Saturday 24 June 2017 23.11 BST Last modified on Sunday 25 June 2017 00.20 BST Russia is at the centre of another doping scandal after it emerged the country’s entire 23-man squad from the 2014 World Cup is being investigated by Fifa over possible drugs offences. Russia is currently hosting the Confederations Cup and in under a year will stage the World Cup but these allegations are likely to throw its suitability to stage such events into serious doubt. The 23-man squad, who were knocked out in the group stages of the Brazil World Cup three years ago, are among 34 Russian footballers being investigated by football’s world governing body. Five of the 23 players tested in 2014 are members of the squad that was knocked out of the Confederations Cup on Saturday. The state-sponsored doping and cover-up in Russia are well known but this is the first time top-level footballers in the country have been placed under investigation, although there is no proof of any anti-doping violations. However, a report by the Mail On Sunday alleged the footballers were among 1,000 “people of interest” to the officials charged with establishing where the tentacles of Russia’s doping racket extended. A Fifa spokesman told the Mail On Sunday: “Fifa is still investigating the allegations made against [Russian] football players.” It is understood Fifa is in possession of detailed evidence and intelligence. It is likely to face pressure to act on whatever evidence it has. Dick Pound, a former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), told the Mail On Sunday: “There is a huge onus on Fifa to reach a sensible conclusion on these matters before the World Cup takes place. It is incumbent on them to say what steps they are taking, what they find, and take whatever action necessary to protect the integrity of sport. Even within a governing body with as little credibility remaining as Fifa, if you were a senior official you wouldn’t want to be part of a body that ignores this. “There has been an institutional denial of doping in football for years … I’ve seen too many presentations by Fifa, straight out of fantasy land, about how they don’t have a problem. They absolutely have to take this case seriously.” The new allegations follow the publication of two reports commissioned by Wada and authored by the Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren. It found at least 1,000 people were assisted by what McLaren described as an “institutionalised manipulation of the doping control process in Russia”. More than 200 of those are thought to have competed in athletics with 13 other sports having competitors in at least double figures being implicated and several cases in other sports. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/24/russia-2014-world-cup-squad-fifa-doping-investigation I am assured, by those itk, that the only dopes in Scottish fitba' are the ones charged with running it.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15368546.Why_it_may_not_be_the_end_of_Mike_Ashley_s_association_with_Rangers/ Why it may not be the end of Mike Ashley's association with Rangers Martin Williams @MWilliamsHT Senior News Reporter FAN groups hope the ending of Mike Ashley's direct involvement in Rangers following his share sale for £2 million will usher in a new era for the club. The Sports Direct and Newcastle United supremo, who was the third biggest shareholder in the Ibrox club, sold his 7.3m shares to fans group Club 1872 and Julian Wolhardt, the chief executive of Dehong Capital Partners - a Hong Kong based private equity firm. The move sees Club 1872 become the second largest shareholder in Rangers International Football Club with 10.71% of the club. The Herald understands that the club have not ruled out continuing commercial association with Sports Direct after a newly re-drawn merchandise agreement ends at the end of next season. Mr Ashley sold just two days after Rangers chairman Dave King announced a truce with the tycoon over the sales of its merchandise in a move he described as "the single most important thing since regime change". It is understood the sportwear tycoon has made no more than £1m from the sale. Mr King who took control of the club three years ago, said the new one year commercial deal with Sports Direct involves at least a share of net profits through their stores, megastore and webstore. It came after a series of rows which ended in the courts over the amount Rangers were making from the sales of merchandise - said to be just 4p in the pound - that led to a fans boycott of kit sales. It was described by Mr King as a "toxic and acrimonious" relationship. HeraldScotland: The agreement ripped up the old seven-year deal with Sports Direct to be replaced by a new one which lasts till the end of next season, taking the club to the end of its five year shirt deal with Puma. It is estimated it could net Rangers an additional £5million a year via a huge increase in shirt sales. Rangers had said it meant the end of the Mike Ashley-controlled merchandising arm Rangers Retail, with the club now dealing directly with the sports retailer and that "by far the largest benefit of [the new deal] is going back into the club and in particular to the football squad". After the truce was announced Rangers fans flocked back to Sports Direct shops and club stores in their droves to snap up replica shirts which had been reduced in priced to around £20 before the agreement was announced. Drew Roberton, the general secretary of the Rangers Supporters Association, said he would not object to further involvement by Mr Ashley if the next year proves profitable for the club and Sports Direct. "We hope now that everyone moves forward in a positive manner," he said. "If we are sharing the profits now, it might not necessarily be the end of an association with Sports Direct. We have to see how it goes. "Maybe if Rangers are successful, Mike Ashley will see just now just how much money can be generated by the club." He said it was "unfortunate" that the money from the share purchase by shareholder group Club 1872, would benefit Mr Ashley, rather than the club. Club 1872 said: "We are delighted that our members’ support for Club 1872 has brought us to a point where we can acquire these shares and complete the process of restoring control of RIFC to those who view the footballing success of Rangers FC as being just as important as RIFC’s careful stewardship financially." Some hardcore fans who took part in the Ashley boycott have vowed they will still not set foot in Sports Direct-controlled stores, despite the truce. One said: "People have been saying that we cannot beat Mike Ashley. He is a billionaire. We just did. This is the way it was always going to end." With Ashley out the picture, the last remaining obstacle to a rights issue to raise money is also effectively gone, and Mr King has indicated his interest in this. It is believed the board could call an EGM to push through plans to raise £16m to pay off loans from King and shareholders Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor. During what was one of the most troublesome period of the club's history, secured and then after a fans furore gave up his rights to rename Ibrox, bought for £1. His control over the club's joint venture with Sports Direct over merchandising caused the biggest stink amongst supporters. The Rangers Supporters Trust even launched an alternative shirt for fans as they took on Mr Ashley in the war over Rangers Retail - and said all profits would be ploughed back into an increased shareholding in their club.

Here is an interesting piece by someone called Mike Keegan, from The Daily Bedlam. It is interesting because it 'links' Mark Allen with a 'tapping up charge', but does not follow it up in the body of the article. . Guilt by association, then; it seems that that is what the writer intends. Manchester City academy chief Mark Allen made Rangers move after probe into young player tapping-up storm Mark Allen left Manchester City to become the director of football at Rangers City were last month banned from signing academy players and fined £300,000 Sportsmail understands that the ban seriously concerned the Abu Dhabi owners Allen was looking to leave before the inquest and exited the club on good terms By Mike Keegan For The Daily Mail PUBLISHED: 22:30, 23 June 2017 | UPDATED: 22:30, 23 June 2017 Mark Allen, former head of Manchester City’s academy, is leaving to become Rangers’ director of football after an inquest at the Etihad into why the club has been banned from signing young players. City were last month prohibited from signing academy players for two years and fined £300,000 for breaching youth development rules. The Premier League acted on complaints over the tapping-up of two schoolboys. Sportsmail understands that the ban, the second year suspended for three years, seriously concerned City’s Abu Dhabi owners. City say that Allen, 54, wanted a new challenge even before the Premier League verdict and that he left of his own volition, on good terms. Allen is known to have been looking to move on and has taken coaching badges. Many may see his arrival at Rangers as a coup for the Ibrox club who have much ground to make up on rivals Celtic. Rangers ended their hunt for a director of football by appointing Allen earlier this week Welshman Allen, at City since 2009 , was released by Swindon Town as a youngster. He moved to the USA to earn a business degree before returning as a managing director for music broadcaster MTV. He leaves City with homegrown faces still rare at first-team level and after a third defeat in a row in the FA Youth Cup final. In a separate development, a respected academy coach at City has been suspended after allegations of misconduct. Canadian Mark Burton, who insiders say has been behind the success of some of the club’s younger age groups, is under investigation. The situation is being monitored by neighbours United, who could make a move for Burton should he leave City. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4634126/Man-City-academy-boss-Mark-Allen-left-ban-probe.html#ixzz4kv4MMEsn

Ry Cooder, as it happens.

We could all chip in, invest as the heavy hitters on here would call it, and, do you know, we could get all kinds of tax advantages, through one of the many cunning and ingenious tax planning projects on offer. Oh, wait............

Finest Hour, my arse. DK's Finest Hour will be when he hoists the League Flag over Ibrox.

How can a poor man stand such times and live? I demand 48hrs recovery period after each "Big Announcement".....

You get mael? Since privatisation, a joke round here, mate.

If Waghorn is in the team, you will not get goals, even at SPL level. Usefulness outlived, as we say, well,.... just about everywhere.

Stop all this sycophancy, Frankie.

This would be a massive own goal, in my view. Anyone who peddles this proposal, either has no grasp of current, at last, positive circumstances, or is looking for an affirmative reaction to confirm some pre-judged notion of the Club and its support. PS God Bless the Pope.

I think that Dorrans would start; Kenny McLean, who seems a decent player, I'm not so sure.

Thought that that was Andy Carroll for a moment.....

The departure of Ashley is great news. I cannot help wondering why the turdbucket is doing one, so suddenly, hot foot and toute suite, when for so long his stance was so very far from cooperative. I cannot help speculating, and I confess, hoping just a little, that there is some kind of Force 10 shitstorm approaching, heading directly to envelop the Fat Bastard, and that he is clearing his decks, prior to arranging a disappearance, leaving only a cheap tracksuit, and an even cheaper pair of trainers, on the beach at Whitley Bay.

I think, but could not swear to it, that the obligation to buy 'surplus' at full price, existed only for one year. The unlamented Somers said as much at the Tent Hall AGM, iIrc, or maybe at another.

Collecting and collating the constant pro-sellik effusions would be seriously injurious to one's mental well being. It would be a brave fellow who volunteered. The scale of the task, too, would be huge.

You will be safe, on this site. Many -most- of the posters on here, and all of the administrators and moderators, do not have their own teeth.

I fear that Messrs Tavernier and Waghorn have outlived their usefulness.

High Commissioner is not a "decent dram".

A couple of dozen Rolexes, vintage clarets, magnums of Krug, and 50 yr old Islay malts en route to Nyon already, I imagine.

Its existence has been proved by theoretical calculation. It is comprised of all of the single socks, which have gone missing, in the world.

True. It has often been observed that I am wired to a Planet, yet to be discovered.

Frankie mentioned earlier in the thread that Rangers struggled, some 20 years ago, against Anorthosis Famagusta. I remember it well, and struggle we did. Qualified, mark you. I do have to suggest that players from Mexico, Portugal, and Colombia will perhaps find adjustment to the heat, etc., somewhat easier than our players did then.

Famagusta had a red haired Bulgarian in midfield, played well, but sadly for him, he ended up at Pittodrie.