Football Focus

[Jah Lush]

Southampton have had a very good recruitment policy for a long time though that could now be put to the test as their former Head of Recruitment Paul Mitchell joined Spurs at the beginning of last season. He's the man Poch trusts in the transfer market.

[Jah Lush]

David Ginola evidently very very lucky to be alive. Good well soon David.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36340327

[red devil]

Wow, first report I read they thought he had just fainted. Hear him on the radio/TV, always comes across as a really nice guy. Let's hope he makes a full recovery...

[Mick Mac]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/20/celtic-appoint-brendan-rodgers-manager?client=ms-android-htc-rev#

It's official.

[Alan Medic]

What time is It's a Knock Out on?

[Mick Mac]

Sunshine on Leith. 114 years of hurt is over for the Hibees, and well done to Alan Stubbs in particular.

[Otta]

Considering it's been the worst kept secret in football for months, you'd have thought they'd at least have let LVG have a night of celebration for winning the cup before they let the cat out of the bag.

[Mick Mac]

I find that quite ridiculous. Poor form from MU.

And I don't mean the timing of this I mean the decision itself. Mourinho=boring negativity.

[red devil]

Otta Wrote:

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> Considering it's been the worst kept secret in

> football for months, you'd have thought they'd at

> least have let LVG have a night of celebration for

> winning the cup before they let the cat out of the

> bag.

I don't think it's come from the club, more likely Mendes (Mourinho's agent) who fell out with LvG over Falcao and Di Maria. It had also been reported in the Spanish press on Saturday morning. When Utd change the manager they are obliged to make a statement on the NYSE first.

Mick, I'm not a big fan of Mourinho, but he doesn't equal boring negativity. He only has to look at LvG's experience to see that Utd fans won't put up with that type of football in the long term. Who would you have employed? When it comes to top quality managers, the cupboard is bare at the moment. I'm more worried about his whole demeanor and behaviour. I expect an initial charm offensive, then the usual fireworks. Hopefully being at Utd he will rein it in...

[Mick Mac]

I don't know RD - you feel a change was needed so soon

I'd have given LVG another season - what happended to MU's managerial longevity. It seems these negotiations started many months ago - that's hardly fair.

You cant really argue that MU fans don't put up with dull football and then in the same breath appoint Jose - he's success at a cost.

I think people are completely bored with his antics. I hoped MU would always be out of his reach.

[????]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Sunshine on Leith. 114 years of hurt is over for

> the Hibees, and well done to Alan Stubbs in

> particular.

mmm. Not sure.

Rangers fans and club are hard to like but blatant assaults on staff/players and fans by sectertarian driven 'nationalism', which is being widely ignored by the media and scottish nationalist establishment . A reminder why the sectarian bigotry of Scottish football should be kept well away from the Premiership to me.

[Mick Mac]

Great performance by the team and the management. Which it was, and the match was a fantastic spectacle.

Not sure I commented on the fans - neither do I want to.

[????]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Great performance by the team and the management.

> Which it was, and the match was a fantastic

> spectacle.

>

> Not sure I commented on the fans - neither do I

> want to.

Well, yes that's the point in all the Hibs Love (team not EDF poster :) ); all the nastiness is swept under the carpet

[Jah Lush]

Hibs and Hearts (Jambos) Rangers and Celtic. The secretarian hate goes on. With you on this one Quids.

On a side note enjoy your Thursday and Sunday football now you've qualified for the Europa League thanks to Man Utd's FA Cup win on Saturday.

[Mick Mac]

Apart from you two stating the obvious, there is a problem in Scotland, I don't see what your comments have got to do with the match on Saturday.

I prefer to discuss the sport and not the politics. As such it was a great game.

The political problems need to be sorted out in society, like racism in England, before they drop out of football - which tends to represent the worst in society, pretty well. But hey why not talk about the football.

[SCSB79]

Hibs were by far the better team on Saturday bar twenty odd minutes or so where Rangers showed how well they can play.

Since beating Celtic in the semi's we've struggled to play nearly as well as we know we can.

I think Stubbs outsmarted Warburton with his 5 in midfield.

Rangers need a good few signings this closed season otherwise we could find ourselves mid table pretty easily.

This guy will help start things rolling - like him or not, there is no denying he is a quality player:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36360594

[Otta]

Yep, bit of a cock, but he can definitely play.

[Parkdrive]

Otta Wrote:

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> Yep, bit of a cock, but he can definitely play.

A bit????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mick Mac]

I would worry about his temperament for the old firm games. Not that many cope with that particularly well.

[Otta]

Parkdrive Wrote:

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

> Otta Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Yep, bit of a cock, but he can definitely play.

>

>

> A bit????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha, okay a complete cock.

[Parkdrive]

Otta Wrote:

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

> Parkdrive Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Otta Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Yep, bit of a cock, but he can definitely

> play.

> >

> >

> > A bit????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>

>

> Haha, okay a complete cock.

That's more like it

[SCSB79]

Otta Wrote:

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

> Parkdrive Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Otta Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Yep, bit of a cock, but he can definitely

> play.

> >

> >

> > A bit????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>

>

> Haha, okay a complete cock.

And he is our complete cock now. Keeps the head screwed like the last season and he will run amok.

[Mick Mac]

Brendan Rodgers - I couldn't be happier. For me this is a great appointment of a Celtic fan for the Celtic job, with Europe as a priority, and a friend of Mark Warburton, so all set up nicely for the future.

Desmond has finally upped the ante and pulled off a major coup here.

And was interested in Luis Suarez' view on his management ability:

?Brendan is one of the best coaches in Europe and I am not surprised he is looking to get back in to the game because it is a game he loves,? said Suarez

?If it wasn?t for Brendan, then I know I would not be the same player that you see at Barcelona today. Such a big part of my education is down to him and his management.

?Of course he works to make the team stronger but he really works on a one-to-one level with the players.

?He will sit down with each player at the club, and work on where you can improve, where you can exploit opposition, he leaves nothing to chance.

?He is a very intelligent man. If the players listen to his words, they will become better players for sure.

?I wasn?t proven and I had to adapt to the Premier League, which Brendan knew. He knows all about English football and he educated me to become successful.

?I am glad he has taken his time since leaving Liverpool. He should only be looking at the top jobs, with the top clubs, who will be playing Champions League football.?

[SCSB79]

What about his signings though?

Successes? Can, Sturridge, Coutinho...maybe Origi in time?

Get a load of this though:

Benteke - ?32m

Nathaniel Clyne - ?13m

Joey Gomez - ?6m

Balotelli - ?16m

Alberto Moreno - ?13m

Lazar Markovic - ?20m

Adam Lallana - ?26m

Ricky Lambert - ?5m

Tiago Ilori - ?7m (nope, me neither)

Sakho - ?16m

Borrini - ?10m

Joe Allen - ?17m

Luis Alberto - ?7m

Iago Aspas - ?7m

Simon Mignolet - ?10m (possibly a pass)

Hope he has such a success rate with you lot!!

[Otta]

I don't think most of those were HIS signings.