Scottish Premiership.......does anyone care?

[BigTone]

28 minutes ago, Glen hump said:

You can play bowls wearing slippers and smoking a pipe’ how complex can it be.

And that's just the Women 

[22A]

An interesting game in Scotland tomorrow. Stranraer who finished bottom of the Scottish League are playing East Kilbride. If the visitors win, they replace Stranraer in the League and Stranraer drop into the Lowland League.

Says a lot about the SPL when that will be Scotland's most important game on the last day of the season.

[Robbored]

6 hours ago, Glen hump said:

You can play bowls wearing slippers and smoking a pipe’ how complex can it be.

Like virtually everywhere Glen smoking is banned on the green. Any smokers have to leave and go outside the ground to smoke and poison themselves.

[maxjak]

On 15/05/2024 at 21:10, Silvio Dante said:

Assuming things go as forecast on Sunday, Man City will have won 6 of the last 7 PLs. Prior to this year, Bayern Munich had won something like 11 Bundesliga titles on the trot. In La Liga, other than the odd Atleti, it’s Barca or Real. Serie A has got more competitive recently but only after a period of Juventus dominance.

Yes, it’s generally always Rangers and Celtic. But monopolies and duopoly’s are not unique to Scotland. The “competitiveness” of the Premier League is a myth.

Fair point....but a least the Prem tends to remain competitive until the last few weeks, Liverpool to a lesser extent, and Arsenal have remained on Man C's heels for the majority of the season, to at least challenge them?   If you look at the SL the 3rd place side are 17 points behind the Glasgow Mafia,   although to be accurate both the Manchester clubs have won by large points margins in the past 20 years, but it is not a yearly event, and is becoming less so.......unlike Scotland, where it is a regular event?              

[Malago]

16 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Fair point....but a least the Prem tends to remain competitive until the last few weeks, Liverpool to a lesser extent, and Arsenal have remained on Man C's heels for the majority of the season, to at least challenge them?   If you look at the SL the 3rd place side are 17 points behind the Glasgow Mafia,   although to be accurate both the Manchester clubs have won by large points margins in the past 20 years, but it is not a yearly event, and is becoming less so.......unlike Scotland, where it is a regular event?              

The last time a club outside the Old Firm won the league (Aberdeen) was 39 years ago.

[noize]

There was a time that at least the top two would have some class players, i remember the likes of Gazza, Ally McCoist, Henrik Larsson, Ronald and Frank de Boer etc.. but these days they just seem to have players that couldn't make it in the Prem. As the OP said, its so boring, they really need to think of something to change it up. I'd be tempted to expand the league an incorporate more teams from lower down to make a bigger premier league similar to ours. Their biggest problem is lack of investment, most of the big money in football is TV rights, if no one wants to watch your league then you're kinda stuck. I actually think the MLS has over taken them for entertainment value.

[fgrsimon]

Dancing in the streets of Raith tonight as they overcome Partick Thistle on penalties to face Ross County or St Johnstone for  place in the Scottish Premiership.

Edited May 17 by fgrsimon

[Port Said Red]

Does anyone know why Spartan's who are in Scots league 2 are playing (and beating) Aberdeen in what appears to be a Premier League relegation mini group? 

[Reigate Red]

1 minute ago, Port Said Red said:

Does anyone know why Spartan's who are in Scots league 2 are playing (and beating) Aberdeen in what appears to be a Premier League relegation mini group? 

I think it's because it's the Scottish women's league

[Port Said Red]

3 minutes ago, Reigate Red said:

I think it's because it's the Scottish women's league

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

On 17/05/2024 at 18:47, noize said:

There was a time that at least the top two would have some class players, i remember the likes of Gazza, Ally McCoist, Henrik Larsson, Ronald and Frank de Boer etc.. but these days they just seem to have players that couldn't make it in the Prem. As the OP said, its so boring, they really need to think of something to change it up. I'd be tempted to expand the league an incorporate more teams from lower down to make a bigger premier league similar to ours. Their biggest problem is lack of investment, most of the big money in football is TV rights, if no one wants to watch your league then you're kinda stuck. I actually think the MLS has over taken them for entertainment value.

If you're a good L1 player or an average Championship player you can make a mark in the SPL. James Tavernier and Conor Goldson at Rangers are proof of that. 

[22A]

Considering how few penalties City have been awarded in the last five years; From 82 attempts, Tavernier has converted 65 penalties, not including those taken in shootouts. That gives the Rangers skipper a 79% scoring rate from the spot,

[Port Said Red]

On 17/05/2024 at 11:30, 22A said:

An interesting game in Scotland tomorrow. Stranraer who finished bottom of the Scottish League are playing East Kilbride. If the visitors win, they replace Stranraer in the League and Stranraer drop into the Lowland League.

Says a lot about the SPL when that will be Scotland's most important game on the last day of the season.

Stranraer remain a league club by the way. There have been a few teams coming out of the Lowland League and Highland leagues that have found life quite easy in the lower leagues, Kelty Hearts for example. 

For years they weren't given a route into the leagues, bit like the old "applying for reelection" that once saved the Gas in the English league.

[Kid in the Riot]

Congratulations to Derek McInnes, formally of this parish, who has been named Scottish Premier League manager of the year at Kilmarnock. Finished fourth.

[The Swan and Cemetery]

Guess the SPL is predictable from the outside looking in. Suspect the good folk of Ecuador have less interest in the Albanian league than the locals of Tirana - not sure the best way to judge the level of an intrigue in a league is to ask people who have no skin in the game. Yes, the SPL is very likely to be won by either Rangers or Celtic, if you support either of those teams, that’s definitely not the definition of predictable. But at least we’ve got the wildly unpredictable EPL to keep us sated… 

[Miah Dennehy]

On 15/05/2024 at 20:58, maxjak said:

How boring and pointless is the Scottish Premiership?    Rangers or Celtic?   It's been the same since i was a young lad......I cannot understand the passion generated by such a tedious two horse race that occurs every year.  It has  to be the dullest  and most predictable league in Europe?      

Have you seen the English Premier League lately?

[Miah Dennehy]

On 15/05/2024 at 21:55, North London Red said:

But at the same time, four different teams have won the premier league in the last 10 years, and it could become 5 in 10 years on Sunday (unlikely, admittedly, but not impossible). Over a ten year horizon that’s probably more different winners than many other leagues  

To restore a bit more unpredictability over the next few years it really needs Guardiola to leave Man City. 

Yes, but there are literally twice as many teams in the English Premier League. 

Admittedly I'm biased, I love Scottish football and have  a season ticket up there. But even the big Glasgow clubs aside, there's some fun to be had watching the others. I was up at Celtic against Rangers last week- which obviously I enjoyed very much, but the night before I was at the play off game between Partick and Airdrie. Great atmosphere and great fun.

[Miah Dennehy]

On 16/05/2024 at 07:36, SecretSam said:

Question: how would Celtic/Rangers do against Championship teams? We all know the likes of Man City would tear them a new one, but what about down a league?

FTFY

Well last time Celtic played Man City , both games were a draw. Celtic have been really poor in Europe recently, but they still beat Feyenoord and drew with Atletico Madrid this season. So I should think they would be pretty handy in the Championship.

[Miah Dennehy]

On 17/05/2024 at 11:30, 22A said:

An interesting game in Scotland tomorrow. Stranraer who finished bottom of the Scottish League are playing East Kilbride. If the visitors win, they replace Stranraer in the League and Stranraer drop into the Lowland League.

Says a lot about the SPL when that will be Scotland's most important game on the last day of the season.

It was a play off game- they tend to be at the end of a season, and it wasn't the last one, there are still more to play.

[Chairman Mao]

On 15/05/2024 at 21:06, Sweeneys Penalties said:

Iirc Aberdeen had a fair time of it at one point, but yup usually goes to Glasgow. Personally would love one of the Edinburgh clubs to break the mould

That was almost entirely due to Sir Alex. Its arguable that was his greatest achievement. 

[TV Tom]

7 minutes ago, Chairman Mao said:

That was almost entirely due to Sir Alex. Its arguable that was his greatest achievement. 

Better than the signing of Ralph Milne?

[North London Red]

3 hours ago, Miah Dennehy said:

Yes, but there are literally twice as many teams in the English Premier League. 

Admittedly I'm biased, I love Scottish football and have  a season ticket up there. But even the big Glasgow clubs aside, there's some fun to be had watching the others. I was up at Celtic against Rangers last week- which obviously I enjoyed very much, but the night before I was at the play off game between Partick and Airdrie. Great atmosphere and great fun.

All fair, but it’s still arguably true that the disparity between the top two and the rest is greater in Scotland than almost anywhere else. Celtic or Rangers have won 39 league titles in a row, a longer duopoly than any other European league (I think Ukraine is second, going back to the early 90s). Nine different English champions in that time period, just for reference. 

[Miah Dennehy]

4 hours ago, North London Red said:

All fair, but it’s still arguably true that the disparity between the top two and the rest is greater in Scotland than almost anywhere else. Celtic or Rangers have won 39 league titles in a row, a longer duopoly than any other European league (I think Ukraine is second, going back to the early 90s). Nine different English champions in that time period, just for reference. 

Yes, it is very skewed, partly because Scotland is such a small country ( England's population is 10 times bigger) and because so many people follow one of the big two . I think the only way that will ever stop is if there ever is European Super League, or if they both join the English set up, neither of which I'd like to see, purely on traditional grounds. It is like any other league in the world now, whoever has the money, dominates.

[maxjak]

On 21/05/2024 at 11:22, Miah Dennehy said:

Have you seen the English Premier League lately?

Yep....it was a three horse race until the latter stages, until Man C pulled away to complete a massive 2 point advantage, on the last day of the season.....what is your point?

[maxjak]

On 16/05/2024 at 10:11, fatchers said:

I don't want their religious bigotry hatred anywhere near our leagues. The Romans had the right idea . Build a wall or they will come. They don't even want to be a part of the UK.

Yep......thank God we have our rampant racism and hatred of the LGBT Community to rise above all that,  so allowing   us to set an example ?     

Edited May 23 by maxjak

[sglosbcfc]

On 21/05/2024 at 12:08, Chairman Mao said:

That was almost entirely due to Sir Alex. Its arguable that was his greatest achievement. 

Not taking away from what was an amazing achievement, not just winning two European trophies but becoming the top team in Scotland above the Old Firm. However, the game has changed massively in that time. Aberdeen were awash with oil money and they could pay wages that were close to the Old Firm. There was no Bosman ruling, so top talent had to stay with Aberdeen and would not walk out on a 'free' for bigger wages at Celtic, Rangers or down south. Also other clubs were stronger, like Dundee U and Hearts and were capable of going to Glasgow and beating the Old Firm. Finally attendances were closer, the Old Firm only got sell outs for the really big games, nowadays they are sold out for the vast majority of matches. Actually Aberdeen's support has held up well and the likes of Hibs and Hearts attract bigger crowds than the 1980s, but the gap is still bigger with the huge increase in the Old Firm's attendances.

Derek McInnes deserves huge praise for being the manager who has given the Old Firm the biggest number of bloody noses in the past 10 years, that said he hasn't come close to knocking them out.

[sglosbcfc]

On 21/05/2024 at 11:29, Miah Dennehy said:

Yes, but there are literally twice as many teams in the English Premier League. 

Admittedly I'm biased, I love Scottish football and have  a season ticket up there. But even the big Glasgow clubs aside, there's some fun to be had watching the others. I was up at Celtic against Rangers last week- which obviously I enjoyed very much, but the night before I was at the play off game between Partick and Airdrie. Great atmosphere and great fun.

I'm with you on this one, Scottish football is a great watch and I don't understand the English snobbery.

[Malago]

2 hours ago, sglosbcfc said:

I'm with you on this one, Scottish football is a great watch and I don't understand the English snobbery.

I for one will be watching the Scottish cup final on Saturday instead of watching Man City pass Man U to death.  Won’t be one for the purist, but lots of blood and thunder and a great atmosphere to boot.

[Miah Dennehy]

19 hours ago, Malago said:

I for one will be watching the Scottish cup final on Saturday instead of watching Man City pass Man U to death.  Won’t be one for the purist, but lots of blood and thunder and a great atmosphere to boot.

I'm managed to get a ticket in the ballot. However it is my wife's birthday today. Managed to convince her Glasgow would be a great place for a birthday weekend trip away!

Got up here a couple of hours ago

[Miah Dennehy]

22 hours ago, sglosbcfc said:

Not taking away from what was an amazing achievement, not just winning two European trophies but becoming the top team in Scotland above the Old Firm. However, the game has changed massively in that time. Aberdeen were awash with oil money and they could pay wages that were close to the Old Firm. There was no Bosman ruling, so top talent had to stay with Aberdeen and would not walk out on a 'free' for bigger wages at Celtic, Rangers or down south. Also other clubs were stronger, like Dundee U and Hearts and were capable of going to Glasgow and beating the Old Firm. Finally attendances were closer, the Old Firm only got sell outs for the really big games, nowadays they are sold out for the vast majority of matches. Actually Aberdeen's support has held up well and the likes of Hibs and Hearts attract bigger crowds than the 1980s, but the gap is still bigger with the huge increase in the Old Firm's attendances.

Derek McInnes deserves huge praise for being the manager who has given the Old Firm the biggest number of bloody noses in the past 10 years, that said he hasn't come close to knocking them out.

I've a soft spot for Aberdeen. Saw them in a European game against Real Sociedad about 10 years a go, great atmosphere in th eground and around the bars before the game.