Should the weekend sporting card be shut down as a mark of respect to the Queen?
Craig Swan: There’s no right or wrong here. Shops and businesses are still open, so if a sport wants to stage a fixture, you could argue they should be allowed. But it’s also right, if people don’t want to stage or take part, they aren’t forced either.
Michael Gannon: Nope, the games should be on. There’s nothing disrespectful about thousands of people going to something they love. Are folk meant to just sit about the house looking sad?
Gordon Parks: No. The passing of the monarch at the age of 96 should be a celebration of a life of service. Closing down the sporting diary isn’t in step with that feeling of paying tribute to a steadfast presence over the decades.
Fraser Wilson: I can understand the decision as a mark of respect for the monarch but what will everyone do? Footballers will train. Punters will go to the pub, shop or sit in the house. There are plenty of other ways to show respect and allow the games to go ahead.
Is Gio van Bronckhorst right to claim Rangers can’t compete with the Euro elite?
Craig Swan: He’s right. Rangers can’t compete with the finances of Europe’s elite. No Scottish clubs can. That doesn’t mean Rangers shouldn’t have been better against Ajax.
Michael Gannon: The comments of a man desperately reaching for a way to take flak off his players in public, when in the dressing room he will be seething. Gers competed with Dortmund, Leipzig and PSV, it’s tough but he knows his side still needs to be better.
Gordon Parks: It’s always the easy way out to highlight finances. Van Bronckhorst must know Ajax develop their own multi-million superstars and that’s the secret of their success. If he doesn’t feel he can compete in that climate it’s a defeatist attitude, a terrible look.
Fraser Wilson: It’s clumsy at best but potentially fatal for his Ibrox career at worst. It was undoubtedly a dig at the levels of investment too. But fans rightly won’t stand for being told their side can’t compete and it glosses over the fact Rangers didn’t work hard enough.
Hearts' thumping by Basaksehir capped off a miserable week in Europe, are our clubs out of their depth?
Craig Swan: Time will tell. Celtic would have to be encouraged by their show against Real Madrid. Hearts and Rangers have no positives from their defeats.
Michael Gannon: Rangers and Celtic found out what most pot four teams find out in the Champions League. It can be brutal but they’ve every right to be there. Hearts were naive but should finish above Riga in the group, which is where they ought to be.
Gordon Parks: Yes. All of our clubs were a level below their respective opposition this week. The sad reality is our top clubs just aren’t capable of matching the elite of Europe and in the case of Hearts, a mid-level continental outfit.
Fraser Wilson: It was a horrible week. All three need results in their next outings. The worry after that sobering opening week is all three will be out before Christmas. The argument that the Europa league is now the Old Firm’s level looks to be true.
Should Celtic fans be worried after Ange Postecoglou's link to Brighton?
Craig Swan: No. That shows he’s doing a brilliant job. The better Celtic do, the more he’ll be linked. Just because he’s being admired and linked doesn’t mean he’s going to go.
Michael Gannon: Not in the short term but they better get used to it. If Celtic produce some decent displays in Europe while maintaining domestic form, the sacking season on the way will see his name popping up pretty often.
Gordon Parks: It’s inevitable Postecoglou will be linked with Premier League vacancies. No manager loiters long these days and Celtic fans know their club is a stepping stone to the Premiership.
Fraser Wilson: Managers moving on comes with the territory of being successful. Postecoglou has worked wonders with the Hoops but he is big on values and the fact he says he’s just getting started should ease fears among the Celtic fans for now.
READ NEXT
