Firstly, a solitary comment about the actual game of football in Scotland. Then another two about managers and one about the Champions League.
Apart from that, another round of tit-for-tat arguing sparked by events that happened days ago. Another day of bickering and finger pointing has come to an end on the Hotline. Kevin Kean, Inchinnan, took a look into the engine-room puzzles being posed to Rangers manager Michael Beale as he tries to find the ideal formula in a key area of the park.
He said: “With the Celtic midfield largely stable, Beale has a problem trying to establish his. Todd Cantwell, Nicolas Raskin added to Ianis Hagi with Tom Lawrence to come back means he has a lot of experimenting to do, lessening even further the chances of catching Celtic.” And that is basically that. From this point, conversations mainly returned to Beale’s decision to let Partick Thistle score a goal in an act of sportsmanship during the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox last weekend. Gary Stevenson, Newtonhill, was on the Hotline yesterday claiming Beale’s move coupled with a Green Brigade banner which was displayed at Parkhead somehow encapsulated “the difference in class between Rangers and Celtic.”
However, Sean Beech, Hampshire, was not having that and retorted: “So Gary is attempting to measure class by trying to compare what the Rangers manager did as an individual and what a group of Celtic fans who are regularly condemned from all quarters are doing? Did he conveniently forget in his calculations all the outrage regarding Beale’s decision from the crowd at Ibrox. And, of course, the Rangers players?”
Various others waded into it, but Robert Livingstone, Palm Beach, said: “Lots of favourable worldwide comments on Beale’s courteous sporting act, but as the Hotline’s Gordon Parks said, only in the world of Scottish football could an act of sportsmanship stir up furious reaction about what he did. Probably a case of whatever Beale did could never please them. Of course, if he lost the game, he’d be crucified by all of them and Ian McCall might still have a job.”
Neil Renton, Edinburgh, at least brought some humour when he said: “The most baffling thing about the banners Celtic fans often display is how they manage to get them into the stadium. I can’t even get into Easter Road with a Mars Bar in my pocket.”
On the managerial topic that broke up the verbal battling, Thistle’s decision to axe McCall just shortly after the defeat to Rangers still raised discussion. Andrew Lamb, Fraserburgh, said: “Whilst no-one likes to see anyone lose their job, McCall is a serial underachiever as a manager. Zero success, although Partick Thistle are a shambles too. I’m only surprised their board haven’t appointed Craig Whyte as director.”
Record Sport’s chat with the Fleetwood boss, or more to the point Celtic icon, Scott Brown also brought comment from Robert McEwan, Mount Vernon.
He said: “Great exclusive with a Celtic legend. What an iconic player Broonie was. We loved him. The one thing Tony Mowbray got right was making him captain and being the first team who brought the huddle to world football.”
Paris St Germain’s latest flop in the Champions League brought a message from Alan Lough, Dunbar, who said: “For all the money that they have spent on players, the truth is that they are still absolutely useless in the Champions League and nowhere near the standard required to win it.”
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