One thing that can be said with certainty is that the current regime at Sevco definitely knows what triggers their customers.
They quickly got out in front of the derby defeat, and the dominant narrative was about the officials’ performance on the day.
If you listen carefully enough to the choreographed messaging, you can detect the dog whistles…
Somehow, a club that had not conceded a penalty in SEVENTY-FOUR consecutive league matches is somehow done down by officialdom.
That which is cultural is not amenable to reason.
If you keep that in mind, then you will avoid the futile exercise of applying any other rationale to the mindset of the Ibrox klanbase.
Therefore, don’t even try to deconstruct the Infallible logic of the Ibrox klanbase, as apparently the Papacy is behind it all.
Moreover, always believe people when they reveal themselves.
In the match against PSV last August, the Butcher Bill Tifo clearly referenced the nativism that defines them.
Now, when I thought I had parodied them recently and had them pacing out Dealey Plaza for their conspiracy theories on the failure to award a penalty in the Glasgow derby match (Sima was offside in the build-up, so anything that transpired after that was irrelevant), they get all theological.
As I was writing this, my tech guy was having a clear-out and found this mouse matt from Paddy Power of 1990s vintage.
It was probably a satirical nod to the end of the unwritten policy at Ibrox of no Catholic players, which had been enforced since the Edwardian era at Ibrox.
Despite the Everyone Anyone PR campaign, Sevco’s customers still define themselves by a shared visceral hostility towards Scotland’s Catholic minority and a nativist hatred of the multi-generational Irish community.
Anyone who thinks that this is the normal frothing at the mouth after a defeat to their city rivals should consider this one.
Oh dear…
Meanwhile, it is the task of any journalist looking at the basket of assets to follow follow the money.
This post-match interview by Dear Philippe is instructive after 03.00 minutes.
“We are not a team with the most money in the world”.
As I had previously reported, the January window would be dominated by loan deals at Sevco if at all possible.
Now I’m sure that Senhor Soares Silva is just Fábio.
I’m intrigued to see why Wolves would sign him for £35m, pay him a basic rate of £75k per week yet put him out on loan.
My information is that the Ibrox outfit is taking up almost all of his salary, and he’s on the Wolves bonus regime, too.
So that’s a minimum of £1.5m outlay until the end of the loan period.
Now, it gets interesting if, say, Wolves demanded that he definitely plays in a specific position if available for selection.
Would Dear Philippe agree to such terms?
If the Transcendental Chairman was being honest to the RIFC AGM, and I believe he was, it is imperative that Sevco, at the very least, break even going forward.
That would mean two high earners might have to leave in this window.
Of course, that’s easier said than done.
I’ve been provided with a list of names that have been discussed in the Blue Room who will have to make room on the wage bill for fabulous Fábio.
When Paddy Power made that cheeky jibe in the 1990s, the original Rangers were fueled by the bank’s money.
Those days, like the club established in 1872, are dead and gone.
In the same era, Celtic were minutes away from receivership.
Now the Parkhead club has a massive in-built financial advantage, and the Ibrox klanbase, with their herrenvolk sneering, cannot face up to that new reality.
Meanwhile, it is a job done for the Sevco High Command as their customers believe that the deciding factor in their derby defeat at Celtic Park was Willie Collum in the VAR room and not Kyogo Furuhashi sending Conor Goldson to the shops on the edge of the box.
Finally, dear reader, it was remiss of me in my last offering, the first of 2024, to record my debt of gratitude.
The stats on this site for the last twelve months are quite something.
My tech guy confirmed that, yes, the numbers were correct.
So, especially to those of ye who support this site financially, míle buíochas!
To all of my readers, I hope that this new year brings everything that you and yours want and need.
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To move on high earners a club must be willing to buy and offer an equally attractive package and the player himself must be willing to move. As we saw with Mr Morelos and Kent they may decide to see out their contract then sign as a free agent without the additional burden of a transfer fee to the purchasing club . Spending 1.5m for an EPL benchwarmer for just 5 months is a desperate gamble. First as you pointed out Mr Clement may not be too happy at having his starting lineup dictated to him . It may cause friction in the dressing room to have someone earning 3X as much as they do . There is zero return at the end of his loan spell and as the Joey Barton and Aaron Ramsey experiments showed a big EPL wage earner doesn’t guarantee anything.
Clemente seemed to have been informed, quite quickly, as to the non-tavpen situation right on the final whistle.
I would not be surprised if maybe SKY had primed him ( or his assistants) and been told to make a big deal of it ASAP.
It helps keeps up subscriptions from their target audience.
I cancelled Sky 5 yrs ago: yep even prior to Morales subtitle debacle.
And who could forget “Steven Gerrards R2ngers “being a regular feature. Sky now have too much say in Sat/Sun match dates, as well as Kick off times 12noon, 12.30, 4pm, 5pm, . No consideration for travelling fans.
Yes they pay ( poorly) for the privilege, but are now trying to dictate ticket allocations, referee appointments and as always who gets the 3points.
Don’t want us to go down the Sevco route re banning referee’s from taking our games but don’t we have a case re Beaton (Drinking in a bears bar after a game) Dallas being a Dallas and Nick training the young deady bears at school? This could backfire on them BIG TIME.
Nick Walsh is not employed by Rangers. His school, Boclair Academy, has the same type of relationship to them as St. Ninian’s High School in Kirkintilloch has to Celtic. He is a PE teacher / Depute Head Teacher employed by East Dunbartonshire council, not an employee of The Rangers Football Club.
No one ever said he was.
No one said he was employed by theRangers. However it’s too close a link for anyone not to, at least, question his loyalties. Are there any Grade One Officials currently that work with Celtic youth players in St Ninian’s?
That’s a ridiculous point to make. It’s implied in the original post that he has a link to Rangers because of where he works.
Is there a SPFL top tier ref who has any off the field working relationship with Glasgow’s Celtic?
You’re right to point out Nick Walsh doesn’t work directly for the Rangers. However, Willie Collum doesn’t work for Celtic and the hordes want him banned because of his job.
Walsh doesn’t have to be employed by them to be seriously compromised; his working relationship with them via their youth players is enough to ensure that he shouldn’t be anywhere near sevco or indeed Celtic games.
Respectfully, that’s ridiculous and can only be stated by someone with no knowledge of schools which have partnerships with club academies. Indeed, it could only be stated by someone with no real curiosity about the realities; it doesn’t take long to find out what John explained above. It’s completely divorced from the working reality of the situation.
In response to Morto: exactly, and that’s a bad thing.
If Willie Collum were to apply for and be appointed to a post at St Ninian’s, there is no reason to assume it would affect his position at the SFA, at all. How could it? There is every reason to assume that the moronic, incurious twitterers of the Sevco support would complain about it – roughly in line with the complaints about Walsh given here.
One of the many problems is that referees are not full time and are not technically the employees of the SFA; they are consultants, essentially. The SFA therefore does not have the right to make demands over their central source of employment.
That is the issue. Have full time referees and a non-opaque means for them to be held reasonably to account by the clubs (probably not the fans, directly), and the nonsense currently being spouted by Rangers fans (and always being spouted from somewhere) will lessen, considerably.
Well said prior posts and phil.s genuine information ‘ I.m distraught at the mention of Lazarus fc calling on the sfa to ban certain referees and match officials from Any of their matches in Scotland ? After reading all the rhetorical colin nish from the Newco flagship that the referee decides and nowadays including var assistance ‘ but from 30th December 2023 = That.s no longer suitable for Freddie and the Dreamers ‘ shock horror going back to the weekend our impartial officials went on strike and European officials took charge ‘ and 99% of the collective spl games went like clockwork ‘ Heaven Forbid 🙈
As others have said ,It is alarming when you read such articles with an individual wanting the Scottish Parliament burnt down ,and the horrible sectarian language being used .
That type of article is common place in the cesspit that is online forums regards that football club .
I’d not hold my breath on Police Scotland investigating that article or the SMSM outing it .
It’s a sad reflection in Scotland 2024 that no only individuals and so called football institutions can lose their minds over losing a football match
Especially when you consider what they have got away with since 2012 .
We all experience disappointment when our team loses, particularly so when we believe that we have been the victims of a poor decision. But threatening to burn down the parliament???? This is truly alarming!
Best wishes for 2024 to you and yours, Phil!
You continue to furnish your readers with insightful coverage of what’s REALLY going on behind the scenes at the Scottish club who are “a permanent embarrassment and an occasional disgrace”, whilst taking to task our own profligate board as and when the occasion merits it – Thank you.
A modest donation towards site upkeep is on its way.
Tabhair aire.
I understand that Fabio De Silva’s tattoos include a pair of rosary beads and a picture of the Sacred Heart- on his arms. Is this true? do the klanbase know about it? or is it irrelevant as he is not a West of Scotland or Irish Catholic.
Long – sleeved shirts for him, just to be on the safe side!!
Thanks Phil, i look forward to your next update. Have a great 2024.
What about the non-penalty for a blatant foul on Turnbull in the penalty box near the end. The Assistant flags for offside well after the foul but VAR shows he was clearly onside – why wasn’t this foul referred to VAR?
A very interesting fall out from Sevco’s meeting with the SFA over “THE non-penalty”. Sevco claim that the SFA admitted Colum got the VAR decision wrong, and want him barred from all future Sevco games, and the SFA are saying that Sevco are lying through their teeth, that NO such admission was made!!
Two sets of cheats and liars going head to head, such free entertainment is hard to find.
Thanks very much Phil for your endeavours over the year , it is always a pleasure and eye opener reading your pieces,sometimes even little tears appear , Good tears . May you and your have a prosperous New Year …
Surely any threat to burn down the parliament must be treated as serious by the authorities.
Keep in mi d, this is the KLAN we are talking g about, and they have previous…
Have the police or parliament been informed of this threat ??
In “coopers left peg” message,he describes catholics as” mentally challenged”, he then acknowledges the fact that the same group are now at the top in society, doesnt say much for the opposition does it?.
Happy New Year to a proper journalist who does the job properly. Your work makes great reading. I always look forward to receiving your comments via email. You sir, are accredit to journalism.
All the best to you Phil. If the SMSM were as forensic as you are and the newest SPL club in Scotland had not been allowed to use a familiar name on its birth, the game would be in a much better place than the mess it is in now. Keep up the grand work.
Spot on and if those in charge had invoked the statutory 3pt deduction for every game where dual contracts were in place they wouldn’t now be dealing with the zombie klub that think they can pick who referees their matches or pick and choose which league sponsors they like.