Football Focus

[Emerson Crane]

Keef Wrote:

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> Maybe Celtic should just get over it, and start

> playing better, so they don't have to rely on refs

> decisions.

>

> *runs away sniggering*

Naughty, naughty, now look what you've started. ;-)

[Keef]

So Keef, do you believe there should be no action against a referee who admits to lying in his match report?

I was only teasing Mick, take a chill pill.

[Emerson Crane]

Teasing people on here only ends in tears.

[Mick Mac]

I don't think its teasing so much as you are just not in the slightest bit interested. But its a big issue for Celtic.

[Emerson Crane]

I think all clubs have had issues with refs in the past and present, all clubs feel they are victims of bed refereeing, and no club is unique in that respect. The problem is UNLESS you support that particular club you will have little or no interest in their complaints.

[Mick Mac]

Well that's a very broad view EC, that noone would disagree with.

But when you get a European Cup Winning captain coming out and saying what he has said this week you know the view is deep seated. And you can't argue that his comments are sour grapes having won 9 titles in a row and a european cup - But he still thinks some referees were out to get Celtic.

Celtic Ambassador Billy McNeill believes that the club has never had a fair deal from referees.

McNeill captained Celtic through their greatest ever era under Jock Stein and twice managed the club.

Despite unprecedented success, especially in Europe, there was always a feeling that being the best in Scotland wasn?t enough- to win trophies for Celtic you had to be much better than the opposition.

Speaking in The Sun today the club?s most successful captain admits that ?Celtic players have to rise above it?

He said: ?In my day, there were referees who made mistakes but there were others who didn?t give Celtic a fair crack and who found it very difficult to be perfectly fair and honest about what they did. Is that the same today?

?Referees out to get Celtic is nothing new. It?s been happening for years. Ever since the days I was a manager and during my career I always felt there were referees who targeted Celtic when they took charge of our games.

?They operated with attitudes that were anti-Celtic. I genuinely believe that.

?Well, this week?s events don?t do much to pour cold water on the theory but no matter referee?s decisions Celtic?s players have to rise above it all.

?They have to be good enough to win without any help from the officials.

?That might sound harsh ? but after what happened with Dougie McDonald at Tannadice, for me it?s fair comment.

?Refs have a tough job, no question, the higher they go, the harder it becomes but sometimes it?s just in their nature to produce performances that makes them a target for the fans.

?To hear guys like McDonald openly admit things like this is incredible. They should concentrate on being as efficient as they possibly can ? without telling the world about their mistakes.

I know what it looks like to other football fans, but I'm interested that Celtic have made the move to take this to the level that they have done. I find that quite surprising.

[Porollo]

Hi!

Is there any pub / bar around East Dulwich showing AC Milan - Real Madrid tonight?

Thanks

Al

[Mick Mac]

I doubt any pub will be showing it with two london teams playing at the same time. You can get it free on the net of course on p2p

[matthew123]

Emerson Crane Wrote:

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> They are not same side the

> Mourhino managed and it shows.

How one so easily forgets the awesome Inter display of only two weeks ago when they butchered Spurs with some quite electrifying football. Inter are still a top class outfit and Spurs would have torn most European sides apart last night. Credit where it is due I think.

[Jah Lush]

Ahem! If Benitez is so bloody clever why didn't he have an answer to the threat of Gareth Bale? It seems to me that Everton and Manchester United managed to nullify his threat. Phil Neville did an excellent marking job on him at White Hart Lane recently and Man Utd doubled up on him last weekend. Just saying like.

[red devil]

Spurs were brilliant last night, it's not often I watch another game when Utd are playing, but with the tactically naive Benitez at the helm, Inter were there for the taking, and Spurs duly stepped up to the plate, a classic European night at the Lane...Glory! Glory!

Loved the sight of the Fat Spanish Waiter with his 'I haven't got a clue and can't speak the language' hand gestures...what an inept buffoon he is...I've got a 'hand signal' for your collection Rafa :))

Will be watching Milan v Madrid tonight, should be another belter...

[SeanMacGabhann]

Pires to Henry. Asenal 1 up

Oops sorry. Wilshire to walcott.

It was that similar

[Annasfield]

Something like this RD?

http://blogs.soccernet.com/manchesterunited/middle-finger.jpg

[SCSB79]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Well that's a very broad view EC, that noone would

> disagree with.

>

> But when you get a European Cup Winning captain

> coming out and saying what he has said this week

> you know the view is deep seated. And you can't

> argue that his comments are sour grapes having won

> 9 titles in a row and a european cup - But he

> still thinks some referees were out to get Celtic.

>

>

> Celtic Ambassador Billy McNeill believes that the

> club has never had a fair deal from referees.

>

> McNeill captained Celtic through their greatest

> ever era under Jock Stein and twice managed the

> club.

>

> Despite unprecedented success, especially in

> Europe, there was always a feeling that being the

> best in Scotland wasn?t enough- to win trophies

> for Celtic you had to be much better than the

> opposition.

>

> Speaking in The Sun today the club?s most

> successful captain admits that ?Celtic players

> have to rise above it?

>

> He said: ?In my day, there were referees who made

> mistakes but there were others who didn?t give

> Celtic a fair crack and who found it very

> difficult to be perfectly fair and honest about

> what they did. Is that the same today?

>

> ?Referees out to get Celtic is nothing new. It?s

> been happening for years. Ever since the days I

> was a manager and during my career I always felt

> there were referees who targeted Celtic when they

> took charge of our games.

>

> ?They operated with attitudes that were

> anti-Celtic. I genuinely believe that.

> ?Well, this week?s events don?t do much to pour

> cold water on the theory but no matter referee?s

> decisions Celtic?s players have to rise above it

> all.

>

> ?They have to be good enough to win without any

> help from the officials.

>

> ?That might sound harsh ? but after what happened

> with Dougie McDonald at Tannadice, for me it?s

> fair comment.

>

> ?Refs have a tough job, no question, the higher

> they go, the harder it becomes but sometimes it?s

> just in their nature to produce performances that

> makes them a target for the fans.

>

> ?To hear guys like McDonald openly admit things

> like this is incredible. They should concentrate

> on being as efficient as they possibly can ?

> without telling the world about their mistakes.

>

> I know what it looks like to other football fans,

> but I'm interested that Celtic have made the move

> to take this to the level that they have done. I

> find that quite surprising.

celtic are starting to make themselves look stupid.

all this paranoia going back decades, please give us all peace.

funnily enough you were very quiet when MON was doing well and Strachan.

for every "wrong" you've had, there will be a decision that has gone for you. That's football.

when decisions go your way it's all tickety boo, but as soon as you start playing poorly and get the odd decision against you we get all this pish in the papers.

celtic fans needs to get a grip and get over it. there is no agenda, there has been no agenda. Billy McBungle is just a washed up, idiot. He'd be lucky to know the day of the week.

The whole of the celtic family, from Desmond Liewell and co, down to the filthy republican reptiles that fester away in the Parkhead support are the ones with an agenda... and that is to intimidate the officials out there into never giving a hard decision against them again.

[matthew123]

No Jah, Rafa is not half as clever as he thinks he is ... I'm off to Sugarloaf mountain tomorrow to carve it in his image and then he can lord it over his second in command ;-)

In regard Bale, he is was up against a full back who is flat footed defensively and can be easily turned... bit like why Bale did not cut it at left back and has reinvented himself as such an exciting attacking force down the left flank.

[red devil]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Something like this RD?

>

> http://blogs.soccernet.com/manchesterunited/middle

> -finger.jpg

That's right Anna, and don't forget to throw in a one liner like ''swivel on that Fat Boy'' for added piquance...

[Mick Mac]

There is a 2 page interview in the telegraph today for anyone fagging after gareth bale.

[SeanMacGabhann]

The Mash scores again

[Mick Mac]

Not one of their better efforts.

[Narnia]

I suppose if I were to call you a unionist prick who hates the English but loves the Queen, you wouldn't find it offensive would you? Of course not, you're used to it being from Smallsville, Scotland. Problem is no one understands it. Are you Scottish or what?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Enough of this sectarian crap. Shake hands and play nicely.

PS - the Mash thing was funny. Dodgy referees aren't.

[Narnia]

I'm not a Celtic fan but SCSB79's remark is out of order.

[SCSB79]

Narnia Wrote:

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> I'm not a Celtic fan but SCSB79's remark is out of

> order.

Sorry you feel that way.

But do you have any interest in Scottish football, any at all? Probably not.

So you won't know what it's like hearing the Celtic support go on and on and on about oppression, agendas, bias... it is all a load of baloney.

[????]

Is it as dull and annoying as your sectarian crap?

[Annasfield]

Back to football. Steven Gerrard is immense