Bears' Corner - Unsere Meinung

Hallo and Welcome!

Das wird der Thread, in dem wir eigene Meinungen zu diversen gescehen rund um die Rangers, den schottischen Fußball oder einem ähnlichen Thema kundtun.
This thread is reserved for our opinions on Rangers, Scottish football or anything linked to these topics.

Los geht's mit einem Beitrag von Caledonia & mir zum Thema eigenwillige Bewertung von Fouls ...

These last seven days saw one of our players – ahead of an international game no less – being dragged in front of the beaks for a foul that never happened (according to the referee and all people directly involved). Once again, the authorities use a hard-line approach against us, something that some may denominate as bias, since other clubs and players walk scot-free time and again. There may be some reaction from Rangers or the player, but those will come after the Spain game. And since an appeal may place McGregor into danger of missing the Old Firm game instead, it might not be a wise decision to appeal at all – simply because of football strategy, not acceptance of the verdict.

Then again, we all would hope for a stronger reaction of the club in general. As has often been said, we should not use the tools Celtic so generously employs, but a stronger stance by the club would do no harm either. Else – as we see again – they will do to us whatever suits their fancy and egos. But – it appears – only against us and THAT is the bone of contention.

If someone thinks that something needs to be done about McGregor’s utterly unnecessary action, so be it. No problem over here, for it was a silly thing to do, even though he did not touch the player – and even the notorious Aberdeen support did not react to it.

What irks is that there is no level playing field, something that becomes apparent time and again. We (yes, we do!) still remember the incredibly strange attention Lafferty was given a few years back. To punish him for his simulation against Mulgrew (then Aberdeen, who was sent off) a new legislation was put into being, and only for this very instance. It was not there before, was not used thereafter - and somesuch is clearly unacceptable. Every single Rangers supporter would have agreed to a ban of play-acting Lafferty, but NOT the corrupt way this was handled. Why? Because similar incidents had never been dealt with before, and, more criminally, neither afterwards. And in due cause McGeady (since departed to the East) sailed through the air resulting in McCulloch (who had earlier seen yellow and one may argue whether the Glasgow Irish – winger actually wanted him to get his matching orders) getting sent-off. Fact is, McCulloch did not touch him, yet was yellow-carded, got sent-off and McGeady’s dive was not questioned by the authorities. Yes, it might have been difficult to see for the referee, but why use video evidence with Lafferty, but let the “Irishman” off the hook? Especially since he did the same play-acting during a game against Hibernian a wee bit earlier.

A clear line, transparency and a level approach for all parties involved in the game. If that is obeyed, people (Rangers fans included) will have no complains about decisions like those handed out to McGregor and Lafferty. But the fact is that this is not the case.

New Hoops-star Stokes – during a recent game against Motherwell – gets a yellow card for this tackle and you wonder, looking at it again, that the leg did not break. Given the way Stokes commits the foul, you do also wonder why the authorities did not act, especially since Stokes actually turns to the Killie bench and slags them off too. (Does the hooped shirt install a certain “invulnerability ego” into the brains of their players? If so, you can see where it originates if you look at McGeady, Vennegor of Hesselink and McDonald in years gone by, not to mention Balde, Sutton, and Petrov.)

We suffered from Ian Black’s challenge on Jelavic (of whom Black said that he was to pacy and hence was partly to blame for the severity of the foul (aye right!))
By the law of the game, a direct tackle from behind with no possibility to get the ball and the way it was committed is a straight red. Sure Black apologized and all, but that puts our 4m-pound man into plaster and out for 3 months.

These were incidents dealt with on the park and the association cannot do much about it afterwards (not that it would have anyways). But how can these assaults not be deemed violent conduct and be treated as such? Where’s that clear line of decision making?

End of Part 1

Back to the McGregor fiasco though. His semi-kick at McGuire was utterly unnecessary, was not noted by the referee and sure the association has the opportunity to act later on with the help of video evidence. No problem if this was e.g. some sort of educational penalty, if there was a clear line and approach attached to it. But that was not the case, since once again there was solely an approach “against” Rangers.

For in the very same game, another two incidents were not spotted by the referee. Was the stamping on McCulloch incidental? Come on. There was no real intend to jump over Big Jig, or even make a wide step (Remember what Mols did back all those years in Munich, trying not to injure Oliver Kahn? Yes, he did his knee ligaments while trying not to injure an opponent.). Somewhat later, self-confessed Hoops-fan Zander Diamond went unpunished for this little act of self-justice after which he did get yellow, but only for an altercation with Naismith a few seconds on, not this push. Since the referee did not spot it (for he gave the penalty and walked away), why went both fouls unpunished by the same authority who sanctioned McGregor? Because no-one complained? There SHOULD BE NO NEED TO, for these three chaps saw the game and the incidents themselves and can act accordingly on their own. What sort of justice would that be if lawmen only act after a complaint despite watching all incidents? They are not blind and are actually obliged if they see somesuch happening. It is the game under their jurisdiction which is being brought into disrepute. They should be ashamed if those under their “command” do not follow the letter of the law and act accordingly.

We have nothing against belated sanctions (within a certain space of time), unless, as it is, we are the only ones who suffer. For we still have those THREE incidents in mind, those who were studied on video evidence after the game. One was Lafferty’s actions against Mulgrew, as linked above. He got punished, banned for 2 straight games and because of the disciplinary points racked up, another game on top of that. That was because of feigning (sic!) injury!
The next was Glen Loovens of our hooped neighbours, who got not only a delay (close season, as they say in hunting (for the championship back then, BTW)) of 5 (as in: FIVE) month for this intentional (!) challenge on Rangers’ Mo Edu, but was only handed a one game ban for it. A one (sic!) game ban for violent conduct, which saw one player getting stretchered off. Then we enter Scott McDonald into the fray, then in the hooped colours too, who did this to Lee Wilkie and since the jury COULD NOT see any intend in his challenge, he went SCOTT-free and was not charged. (Whatever it was that made him raise his leg, we’ll never know. It essentially ended the game for Wilkie, and his career not much long after that.) That is all in the past, like Vennegor of Hesselink’s kick at Faye or McDonald’s swipe at McGregor some will say. None were punished in any way later on. But the fouls are still out there and Lafferty’s Law is not being applied, no clear line of jurisdiction apparent. How can some silly attempted (sic!) kick be treated in the same way as a vile tackle that puts a man out of a game (if not weeks or months). That does not add up. Of course, it is another matter that it primarily (if not solely?) happens against our players, either being left injured and fouled or being dragged before the beaks.

Sure, referees can make mistakes, they are humans after all. Split second decisions against four or five slow motion replays. You wonder who is watching though? For if you see the malice in Stokes’ tackle against Hamill, the intent of clumsy Black in downing Jelavic, you wonder why the authorities do not act. They can whip up Lafferty’s Law, but condone such misbehaviour without comment? They have time on their side (and take quite a chunk of it, as we have seen with Loovens), but the decisions are quite bizarre. And it does not get better.

You obviously ask yourself why and how the McGregor thing actually came to fore – 10 days after the incident. The SFA “was informed”, it was said. By whom? It wasn’t the referee, it wasn’t the 4th official, not Aberdeen’s manager (who knew how lucky two of his player (see above) were), nor the police (we had that too). So much is clear. Who was it then? (We do remember, of course - and on an entirely different matter (but anyway), that TBB was banned by UEFA not because of any foreign complaints, but some levelled at them from Scotland. Make an educated guess.) The SFA also keeps a secret about the persons who came to the judgement (an ex-professional, ex-manager and an ex-referee), though you can imagine that they would claim it is for the safety of the people involved – not that we actually ever resorted to the behaviour of our hooped neighbours.

So can you see a clear line of jurisdiction in those actions? We do not.

Can you transparency? We do not.

Can you see a level approach targeting all culprits? We do not.

We are obviously peeved about the decisions against our players, but we would assume that there are many supporters of other teams (not least Kilmarnock’s regarding Hamill) smarting as well. Hence, the call goes out to the SFA and SPL to get their act together and apply the same law and jurisdiction to all culprits, not just some of “their choice”!

Yours in Blue,

GermanBear & Der Berliner

Joah! Hörte gerade, das BBC's Scotsport im TV das Derby am WE angekündigt hat, so mit allem drum und dran. Allem? Nein! Sie zeigten nur die Celtic - Tore. Sowas muß man erstmal hinbekommen!

Die heutige Kolumne des David Leggat Blogs ... giving it to you straight

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Tuesday, 9 November 2010
CELTIC BAN PROMISE

NO doubt Hugh Dallas will be watching with interest to see just how Celtic get on with their pledge to ban the supporters who shamed Scotland with their Bloodstained Poppy banner.

After all, Dallas was once sent sprawling at Parkhead in the Celtic Shame Game , won by Rangers, when hammered by a missile which smacked into his head, narrowly missing an eye and causing a wound from which blood poured.

Later on that same day Dallas had his house attacked when he was inside with his wife and family. A brick was hurled and smashed a window on its way into the Dallas living room.

The Herald later reported - on September 5, 2000 - how the culprit, Kevin Dunn, appeared in court before Edith Ryan JP and was ordered to be of good behaviour, and had his sentence deferred for a year.

Dunn, in open court revealed, a fact also reported in the Herald, that he was a Celtic season ticket holder. Amazingly - due to sloppy journalism - there was no quote from anyone at Celtic back then about what their position would be regarding Dunn's season ticket.

Does he still hold one? Or does he attend Parkhead with a matchday ticket? Is he banned? Does anyone know?

There was also the incident involving Fernando Ricksen, who was hit on the head with a missile during, and wounded, another visit to Parkhead by Rangers.

Five years down the line there is no record of any Celtic investigation uncovering the culprit and banning them.

In the spring of 2008 an even worse offence happened when Rangers were at Parkhead. Keeper Allan McGregor went down injured in front of the Jock Stein Stand and the Ibrox club's doctor, Paul Jackson sprinted on to give him urgent medical treatment.

Dr Jackson was targeted by Celtic supporters in the Jock Stein Stand, and one missile smashed into his hand, the sort of injury which could easily have been permanent.

As yet, there exists no record of Celtic having successfully investigated this incident and handed out a ban from Parkhead.

No wonder there are many people out there who look at these historical facts and wonder what the chances are of Celtic uncovering the guilty men and women this time, naming and shaming them, and handing out public life long bans?

It is also perhaps significant the official Celtic response came from an unnamed spokesman, and not from the chairman, former Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Defence, The Baron Reid of Cardowan.

According to reporter Paul Drury in the Sun - his Parkhead credentials are impeccable - The Baron Reid of Cardowan is said to be furious about what happened. If that is the case then let him unleash his fury in public.

There have been few more stirring sights and sounds over the last decade or so, than that old political bruiser in full flow, as his language belongs to a more golden age of rhetoric. Even if you do not agree with him you have to admire his oratory.

So far the most powerful words spoken about this affair which has damned Celtic, came from Billy Monkhouse, interviewed on BBC Reporting Scotland.

His son, Stephen, was just 28, when he was killed while on duty with the 1st Battalion, The Scots Guards in the dangerous Helmand province in Afghanistan. Stephen, his dad revealed, was a keen Celtic fan, who, when on leave, made a beeline to watch his team at Parkhead...if he could get a ticket.

There was also a poignant appearance from an old soldier on Reporting Scotland. A man in late middle age, resplendent in his Scottish British Legion attire.

He looked sad, and spoke of his disgust at how those who were his fellow Celtic supporters could behave in such a way.

Both of those interviews served to underline the point I made in my last blog about the number of servicemen and woman, past and present, and their relations and friends, who support Celtic, and who would have been appalled at Green Brigade's crass banner display.

As far as that banner is concerned I was interested by the phrase - Your Deeds Would Shame the Devils in Hell - as it seemed extremey erudite, and indeed poetic. The brainchild, perhaps, of a university professor?

But no, for research revealed it is not original, but in fact is a line in from an IRA song well known by Celtic supporters.

Of course there has been a fightback to all the criticism the Green Brigade have had, and the popular Celtic supporters website, the HuddleBoard has even attempted to smear the world renown Erskine Hospital for Service People.

According to these delusional zealots, for the first few years after it was opened in 1916, Erskine refused to admit Roman Catholics. What utter nonsense. Poppycock!

For Celtic, the problem is wide spread and deep rooted, and has already led to an allegation - as reported in one newspaper - that their travel partners, Thomas Cook have been in touch expressing displeasure about their sign being shown in the vicinity of the shamed banner, in pictures flashed around the world.

In England there has been much horror and disgust, best expressed on the Newcastle-Mad fans' website, where English feelings ran high, with one of the Toon Army saying there is no chance of Celtic ever being welcome in the English Premiership with this sort of attitude in the stands.

St Mirren, who Celtic visit on Rembrance Sunday, are also aware of the potential for problems. Their general manager, Brian Caldwell has stated clearly in the Sun there will be no repeat of Saints forgetting what day it is... as they did when Celtic visited four years ago.

He has also made it clear there will be no kow-towing go any suggestion the solemn minute's silence should be replaced by the so-called Celtic way of a minute's applause, as there was at Parkhead two years ago.

Last year at Falkirk, where Celtic played on Remembrance Sunday, booing and singing could be clearly heard during the minute's silence. Or at least it could on BBC Radio Scotland and on foreign television stations.

In an act of almost journalistic suicide, someone at Sky chose to censor the news and mute the sound. Something nobody else in any Sky control room did at any of the other matches they broadcast live throughout Britain that weekend.

On Sunday the game will be broadcast by ESPN, and it will be interesting to see what sort of journalistic standards they apply, and if they are in favour of censorship.

For, with the shameful Bloodstained Poppy banner row now extending to news outlets outside of Scotland, and even beyond Britain's shores, the world will be watching. And listening.

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Man muß ja mit einigen Dingen vorsichtig sein, doch das alles erinnert mich irgendwie an Deutschland und "die Juden". Bis vor der WM 2006 konnte man ja so gut wie nichts öffentlich über oder gegen die Juden äußern, ohne gleich in die Anti-Semiten- oder Neonazi-Ecke gedrängt zu werden. Ein schwarzhumoriger Witz über ein KZ etc. beendete mal schnell eine politische Laufbahn oder Freundschaften, weil man mit so einem "Nestbeschmutzer" nichts zu tun haben wollte. Das war 50-60 Jahre nach Ende des Krieges doch schon etwas heftig, denn niemand (außer den genannten, im Kopf kranken Hardlinern) würde sich jemals mit dem Völkermord der Nazis oder irgend eines anderen (wo wir gerade dabei sind) identifizieren oder diesen vom Tisch reden. Nach meinem Empfinden hat die WM 2006 viel dazu beigetragen, daß die Deutschen wieder zu ihrem Nationalstolz zurückgefunden haben (auch wenn der mich persönlich nicht so tangiert), einem Nationalstolz, der auf dem Jetzt und Hier beruht, nicht den Verbrechen eines Haufens armer Irrer, die dieses Land vor 60 Jahren für 12 Jahre im Griff hatten und dem Begriff National eine eigene Bedeutung überhalfen.
Es hat mitunter den Anschein (sic!), daß Timothy und deren Lobby eine ähnlich unnahbare und unangreifbare Stellung in Politik und Medienlandschaft eingenommen haben, wie die Juden sie in D-Land besaßen und besitzen, die stets nur mit dem "ihr-ward-ja-mal-Nazis-" Finger schwenken mußten, und die Politik verneigte sich prompt, unabhängig worum es ging. Natürlich kann man dies nicht 1:1 vergleichen und das liegt mir auch fern, aber die Art und Weise, wie man mit dem Fehlverhalten von Celtic eben NICHT umgeht ist doch schon beachtlich. Ganz im Gegensatz zu dem, was wir mitunter übergeholfen bekommen.

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*At half-time on Saturday, during Celtic’s triumphant 9-0 thumping of Aberdeen, the self-styled Green Brigade among their supporters produced anti-Remembrance Day banners reading: "Your deeds would shame all the devils in Hell. Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan. No bloodstained poppy on our Hoops." Celtic has long had its rotten apple of hardcore IRA supporters, but only an historical illiterate would be unaware of the tens of thousands of Catholic soldiers who died in World War I. Millions of our people, of all creeds, died to defeat the Nazi war machine and protect our freedoms in WWII. Does their sacrifice really deserve to be denigrated so crudely? In fairness, Celtic has apologised, but that’s not enough. This shameful disrespect for our war heroes has been seen before in Parkhead and will be seen again. It’s not an aberration either. Reactionary IRA nut-jobs have long had an association with those who opposed the fight against continental fascism. The IRA’s courting of Nazi Germany is well-documented. In 2003, Sinn Fein held a rally in Dublin at the statue to honour IRA man Sean Russell, a collaborator who died on board a U-boat as he travelled to Ireland to foment a pro-Nazi rising in 1940. Russell’s mission was to foster a coup in the Irish Republic and to attack ship-yards and British military installations in Northern Ireland. The only thing that stopped him was his death from a perforated ulcer 100 miles off the coast of County Galway. That same year, a German agent called Goertz was captured after he’d parachuted into Ballivor, Co Meath, to discuss an IRA proposal for an attack on Northern Ireland by the Germans to be supported by 5,000 IRA recruits. In Belfast during WWII, IRA volunteers were ordered to help the Luftwaffe to bomb their own city at the cost of nearly 2,000 dead and thousands more made homeless. And just a few years ago, a US Nazi hate group, the National Alliance, called on Irish Americans to support the Real IRA (who bombed Omagh) and its political wing the 32 County Sovereignty Movement. Nice company you’re keeping, Mr. Lennon.

Gary Bushell - Blog

Man sollte eventuell die Ir(r)en vertreiben ...

FF comment of the day:

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That this lot cannot love Ireland without also hating Great Britain is their problem and not ours.

If they choose to live amongst us and throw insults into our faces regarding our traditions and national history, then we must always reserve the right to tell them to get to fck.

Leggoland has a go at Graham Spiers, the discredited journalist:

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Saturday, 13 November 2010
ODIOUS CREEP'S LACK OF ETHICS

THIS is a wee insight into how journlalism works, and the sort of relationship which exits between managers and reporters. It is based on trust, professionalism and ethics.

From the outset of my career covering top flight football way back in 1972, I have benefited from the insight delivered in what is called an off the record chat, generously afforded me by some of football's greatest managers.

Tottenham Hotspur legend,Bill Nicholson was the first, and on many a Monday afternoon I relished the privilige of sipping tea with him in his White Hart Lane office while listening to his views.

What he said stayed between us, though Mr Nicholson's opinions helped me then, and are still recalled when I make many a judgement.

It was Bells whisky which I sipped as often as not on a Friday afternoon in Nottingham when it suited Brian Clough to be convivial. His company, and what he said off the record, are memories I treasure.

At Aston Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground, Ron Saunders had a habit of asking you to join him in the sauna for a blether. Especially on a Friday, as he knew I liked a Thursday night curry with his goalkeeper, Jim Cumbes and captain Ian Ross. Happy days.

Jock Stein, who saw Sunday reporters one at a time in his dookit of an office in Park Gardens when he was Scotland manager, was particularly good at giving you a steer.

Jock Wallace when I dealt with him, first at Leicester and then Rangers, let you know just what he was really thinking, something he had in common with many of the Celtic managers I have had such a good relationship with, in particular Davie Hay, Billy McNeill and the late Tommy Burns.

The list of managers is long, the kindnesses extended, the insights gained and the knowledge acquired, endless.

They all had their different ways, but the one thing they had in common was a trust in the ethics and professional reputation of the reporter they were entrusting their secrets to.

And so to Odious Creep, and way he goes about his business, which many in the press pack believe lacks both professionalism and ethics.

On Friday at Murray Park, Walter Smith held his usual radio, television daily newspapers and Sunday papers round of interviews.

Creep was among the gang of daily reporters who attempted to probe Smith on matters of controversy, which are really none of the Rangers manager's concern.

The old silver fox dodged the bullet, but, as is his way, was generous and trusting enough to give reporters a private - and clearly off the record - insight.

Within an hour of the conference ending his trust had been abused, and his generosity taken advantage of.

Odious Creep had broken the golden rule of journalism regarding what is said off the record, remaining off the record.

A clear indication of what Smith said appeared, under Creep's name, on the internet, leaving some of the other fine, dedicated, hard working and completely professional reporters who had been with him at Smith's conference, spitting blood.

Now, Walter Smith is someone who is more than able to take care of himself, but I know how some of the legendary managers who have confided in me over a long career would have reacted.

The hurt in Mr Nicholson's eyes would have been enough to destroy any miscreant, a belt on the head with his squash racket would have been Clough's response, while the vein in Saunders' head would have twitched as he pinned you to the wall.

As for the two Jocks? Stein would have made it his business to destroy your career, while Wallace would simply have re-arranged your features.

Fortunately I was never unethical enough, or lacking in professionalism and courtesy, to be on the wrong end of their wrath.

Though I did once, unwittingly upset Walter Smith. The wreckage he left after he waded in during a post League Cup Final win over Hibs at Parkhead, was devastating.

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Leggoland

Why not make Spiers a persona non grata at Ibrox?!

And something from the day before ...

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English, like Rose Gentle, wants to hear from either the Baron Reid of Cardowan, or Celtic chief executive, Peter Lawwell.

He also shows an impressive grasp of Irish history, pointing out the Sean South of Garryowen song which is a favourite, home and away, of the Green Brigade, pays homage to a man who had much in common with Adolf Hitler in his attitude to Jews. And that he didn't come from Garryowen.

Sean South that is. Hitler didn't come from Garryowen either, though he had plenty of supporters there.

Unfortunately no amount of rationale or historical fact will influence the terrorist supporters and zealots who sing in praise of the IRA and sully the Poppy.

The Poppy has never had any political significance. Or at least it didn't until these zealots highjacked it.

When it was adopted, the Poppy was - and for many continues to be - seen as a symbol to remind us all of the human cost of war.

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GENTLE ATTACK ON CELTIC - BUT CREEP ROUNDS ON RANGERS

Jeff Winter's World: Celtic need to have a close look at themselves

...

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Rangers qualify for the Europa League though, so European action after Christmas. Many teams, including another in Glasgow, would kill for that!

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Before the gig I did a piece on Talksport regarding the Scottish reffing situation. I tried to be diplomatic, but as Goughy named names I had to concur, as I suggested earlier, that this whole situation is down to Neil Lennon and Celtic FC. Their complex that everyone is against them is touching on paranoia. Weather permitting the SPL will go ahead with officials from across Europe.

Tell it like it is!

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More ructions north of the border as Hugh Dallas, the head of referee development is forced to resign, that coming just hours after the ref involved in the Dundee United v Celtic announced his early retirement. Crazy - Lennon and his Celtic whingers are causing the careers of decent guys to be finished long before their time.

Scum does as scum does.

Fand's erst jetzt, das Buch über die Teddy Bears, geschrieben von einem Teddy Bear. Und nicht irgendwem, sondern dem damaligen Sprecher des Rangers Supporters Trust

David Edgar - 21st Century Blue