Champions League 2004/2005

[Captain Shamrock]

The incident is unfortunate and will probably cost Rae a Game or two, although they are going to still look at the ref report.

What is interesting is the reaction by the Captain? Have you gone off your rocker or are you so consumed with hating Rangers that you can't see the forest through the hoops. I admit that the kick to the head is bad but the play is not that unusual in the SPL or the FVSL

You and Bucky should just have a private conversation and stop your incessive babbling. This is a soccer thread not a political soup box......

On to next week and hopefully get a result at home and get us in the Group Stages

Lean,

You might want to cut down on the T-3's, buddy. Incessive babbling? Political SOUP box? The play is not that unusual in the SPL? Perhaps it occurs in Richmond United training sessions frequently and you've been on the receiving end(hence your comments) or in your games, but when is the last time you've seen someone blatantly kick someone in the head? I honestly think it was disgraceful for the SPORT, not for a political agenda. If Neil Lennon did it, I would condemn his actions. Simple as that. I'm not sure if you noticed but it was in all the major sports papers in Britain, so it wasn't something that happens all the time. Yes, I've gone off my rocker. It is summer after all and I'm allowed to.

Yes, I hate Rangers. Last time I checked, I was allowed to do that too.

As for the babbling, I apologize. Lord knows Article Bot doesn't babble on. Finally, if you don't want to read it......don't. Bucky even said that, so it must be great advice. Cheers and go give Mackers a kick in the head for me for not inviting us to his house on Nations Cup Saturday.

 

[Buckfast]

Free Alex Rae.

 

[steve1234]

Rae hit with five-game ban


Alex Rae says he did not mean to kick Serghei Dadu
Rangers' Alex Rae has been banned for five European matches by Uefa for an incident against CSKA Moscow.
The midfielder was charged with gross unsporting conduct after officials viewed a tape of his challenge on CSKA's Serghei Dadu.

A statement from Uefa read: "...the Scottish player had kicked the head of an opponent while the player of the Russian team was lying on the ground."

The Ibrox club have until midnight on Thursday to launch an appeal.

Rangers manager Alex McLeish said last week he saw nothing wrong with the challenge.

"It happened in a split second," McLeish told BBC Scotland.

CSKA Moscow coach Valeriy Gazzaev claimed that Dadu suffered concussion.

Dutch referee Jan Wegereef took no action and there was no mention of the incident in his report.

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Rae said after his Champions League debut: "The ball was actually there and he put his head down between my foot and the ball.

"It looked worse than it was, without a doubt. No action was taken by the referee."

McLeish insisted at the time: "The ball was on the ground when Alex Rae attempted to kick it and it just so happened there was a Moscow player lying on the ground beside the ball.

"I think that was why the Russians were so upset. The ball was there and I think he made contact with it."


Poor wee misguided soul.

 

[zenga]

European Cups - Champions League (qual.)
04:19 August 24

AET Maccabi Haifa (Isr) 2 - 3 Rosenborg (Nor)

FT Anderlecht (Bel) 3 - 0 Benfica

FT Monaco 6 - 0 Nova Gorica (Slo)

FT Deportivo (Spa) 3 - 0 Shelbourne (Ire)

FT Inter Milan (Ita) 4 - 1 Basel (Swi)

FT Liverpool (Eng) 0 - 1 Graz AK (Aus)

 

[zenga]

European Cups - Champions League (qual.)
23:25 August 25

FT Maccabi T-Aviv (Isr) 1 - 0 PAOK Saloniki (Gre)

FT Trabzonspor 0 - 2 Dynamo Kyiv (Ukr)

AET Sparta Prague (Cze) 2 - 0 Ferencvaros (Hun)

FT Club Brugge (Bel) 2 - 2 Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)

FT PSV Eindhoven (Hol) 5 - 0 Red Star Belg. (S&M)

FT Djurgarden (Swe) 1 - 4 Juventus (Ita)

FT Ostrava 2 - 1 Leverkusen (Ger)

FT Rangers (Sco) 1 - 1 CSKA Moscow (Rus)

FT Manchester U. (Eng) 3 - 0 Dinamo Bu'rest (Rom)

FT Real Madrid (Spa) 3 - 1 Wisla Krakow (Pol)

 

[BlazeArmy]

Shhhh. I'm trying to make out that sound. Is that the sound of Rangers in the Uefa cup.

 

[lean]

Rangers were terrible today and did not deserve to go through. It was very disappointing end to the Champions League again .

There will be changes at Ibrox after this weekend if they do not get a result in the Old Firm.

Lean

 

[cside17]

They won't get a result in the ole Firm.

I would like to pass on my regrets to all the Hun fans thought. There's always next year, assuming you qualify!

 

[Buckfast]

Even went to the Chicago Rangers Supporters Club to watch that pish. No excuses for rubbish football when so much was at stake (it's all very well documented, no need to post the Top 100 list).

Does Eck go? Not sure. Hard to make surf 'n' turf from a fish supper. One thing I'm sure of, though. Fcukin' peg leg better get tae.

Apparently, we have the "ole" Firm match to look forward to. Cerveza por favor.

Buckfast

BTW - BlazeArmy, shut the fcuk up. You're boring the tits off me.

 

[Jinky]

Today's result actually gets worse when put into proper perspective.

Rangers failure to qualify for the Champions League has brought a £2m bonus to Celtic.
Champions League revenue comes in 3 streams; gate money, which the home clubs keeps; prize money, which is earned at £120k for a draw and £240k for a win at the group stage; and TV money. The TV money is returned to competing nations in proportion to how much their domestic TV broadcaster has paid for CL football. Scottish clubs get £4.6m, which is split 55% to the Champions and 45% to the runners up if 2 clubs qualify. All this money will now go to Celtic.

Rangers' failure here can be ranked as the worst ever performance by a seeded CL entry ever. CSKA Moscow were the 31st seed out of 32 competing in the 3rd Qualifying round. This is the first time such a low seed has qualified since seeding was introduced. They have a Uefa coefficient of 8.5 which is lower than Hearts, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Livingston, Hibs and St Johnstone.
Failure versus Celtic this weekend will make it seven losses in a row for Rangers which will of course be a new record. One which will certify this as the worst Rangers team ever.

Does Eck go? Not sure. Hard to make surf 'n' turf from a fish supper. One thing I'm sure of, though. Fcukin' peg leg better get tae.

Ironsides is going nowhere Bucky. But calling for Murray's head is a surefire way to get Big Shrek fired. Who would you replace him with though Strachan? I doubt anyone as smart as him would tarnish his career with the poisoned chalice that is the Rangers hotseat. Maybe you'll get Terry Butcher. Is he an improvement?

You can answer these questions and more in the Scottish Leagues thread as discussions concerning Rangers have no place in the Champions League thread.

 

[Buckfast]

Last comment in the CL Forum:

Lesson learned. It wasn't long ago, I had you near tears (which I respect btw) one cold, dark POCOMO night.......ah, days of yore. As for now......will see you in the SPL Forum.

Buckfast

PS - BlazeArmy, do you have a clue? Thought so.

 

[steve1234]

Lesson learned. It wasn't long ago, I had you near tears (which I respect btw) one cold, dark POCOMO night.......ah, days of yore. As for now......will see you in the SPL Forum.

Buckfast.

WTF does you and Jinky's love life have to do with the CL?

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Barcelona, AC Milan, Celtic, Shoktar Donesk.



Ouch.

 

[zenga]

Heres the complete draw. Some tough tough groups.

GROUP A
Deportivo La Coruna (Spa)
Liverpool (Eng)
Monaco (Fra)
Olympiakos (Gre)

GROUP B
Real Madrid (Spa)
Roma (Ita)
Bayer Leverkusen (Ger)
Dynamo Kiev (Ukr)

GROUP C
Bayern Munich (Ger)
Juventus (Ita)
Ajax (Hol)
M. Tel-Aviv (Isr)

GROUP D
Manchester United (Eng)
Lyon (Fra)
Sparta Prague (Cze)
Fenerbahçe (Tur)

GROUP E
Arsenal (Eng)
Panathinaikos (Gre)
PSV Eindhoven (Hol)
Rosenborg (Nor)

GROUP F
Barcelona (Spa)
AC Milan (Ita)
Celtic (Sco)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)

GROUP G
Valencia (Spa)
FC Internazionale (Ita)
Anderlecht (Bel)
Werder Bremen (Ger)

GROUP H
Porto (Por)
Chelsea (Eng)
Paris Saint Germain (Fra)
CSKA Moscow (Rus)

 

[termatofylakas]

Hey Bucky your Rangers might have hope after all. Soccernet is reporting that Roman Abramovich might have ties with CSKA and if that is true then one of his 2 teams will have to be booted. I can't see him dropping Chelsea. Now it didn't say who would take the spot if he is in fact involved but it looks like the crap Rangers might be able to squeak in.

 

[sid]

RF,



Come on Shelborne! captain teacher don't you mean shelbourne

sid

 

[Jinky]

Well, he'd know.

FOOTBALL: SIMPLY THE BEST Sep 12 2004


Barca legend Johan Cruyff says Larsson is better than all the rest at Nou Camp

CELTIC v BARCELONA Tuesday, kick-off 7.45pm

By Mark Guidi



THERE is nobody more keen than Johan Cruyff to see Henrik Larsson become a success at Barcelona.

When the Barca board were debating whether to meet the lucrative two-year deal demanded by the Swede and the hefty fee for his agent Rob Jansen, Cruyff used his considerable influence to persuade them to go for it.

Frank Rijkaard was delighted Cruyff backed his recommendation to bring Larsson to Spain, just as the chain-smoking Dutch legend had done a year earlier when he got Rijkaard the head coach's job after Guus Hiddink and Ronald Koeman had knocked back the club.

So far Larsson has been outstanding for his new club and fitted in perfectly with expensive team-mates such as fellow new-boys Samuel Eto'o, Deco and Ludovic Giuly as about £40million was spent reshaping the squad.

In fact, Cruyff reckons the Swede already looks the most significant signing Barca has made in many years and will prove that on Tuesday night in the Champions League clash by putting emotion to one side and helping beat his former club.

The Holland and Nou Camp legend said: 'All the signings have their individual qualities. For example, no-one can claim Giuly won't be an important player, a key component in the team's creativity or the brains of the operation.

'Then there is Deco, a player with a good touch and who can also score goals. 'But it's Larsson I'm delighted to have at Barcelona above anyone. To see him at the club gives me great hope for the future.

'He just thrills me as a player. I appreciate what he brings to this club. He is simply enormous.

'His style of football is so simple, so clear-cut, so good.

'I can only describe his contribution to his teams as enormous, not only in terms of his goalscoring but also the vast amount of support play he gives to others around him.

'His work-rate is magnificent and to understand exactly how important a player Larsson is you simply have to watch him play.

'He gives the ball exactly right in terms of his timing, vision and passing. He never overdoes things, always puts the ball precisely where it needs to be and puts himself where he needs to be, too.

'Guys like him make football a simple game again. There are few players like him around any more.

'Celtic, of course, will know his value and miss him. It will be strange for everyone at their club seeing him play against them for Barca in the Champions League.

'But Henrik is a professional and will do everything he can to help Barcelona win the game.'

Celtic knocked Barca out of the UEFA Cup 1-0 on aggregate last season through an Alan Thompson goal at Parkhead. The heroics of David Marshall and his team-mates in the Nou Camp kept it at 0-0 to put Martin O'Neill's side through to the quarter-finals.

But Cruyff predicts a different result this time and said: 'Barcelona are much, much better now.

'Last season against Celtic it was glaringly obvious there were few players able to grab a goal but now there are three or four.

'When it was 11 v 11, Barcelona were clearly better than Celtic and should have scored at least once in Glasgow but Ronaldinho and Saviola missed great chances.

'It was a bad result for Rijkaard and things went badly for him and it was all so unjust. It wasn't really his fault as he inherited an imbalanced squad but he managed to finish second in the league.

'I was pleased for Frank because he is a great person. He is enormously at peace with himself and sure of himself.

'He understands what football is about because he can relate to great players as he was one too.'

Not looking forward to this game.

 

[coach]

Too weird Jinky to see Henrik up against his old mates.
The good news is we can watch this clash Tues at 11:30 am on TSN.
Celtic are in tough and will need a solid game from all eleven on the pitch at all times.
Just glad that we get to see this tilt live!

 

[BlazeArmy]

Not Good for United. The kid is obviously a City fan.

Cops quiz Keane after assault claim


Roy Keane flew out of the UK today, refusing to answer questions over an alleged assault.
The Manchester United captain flew to France with his Old Trafford team-mates as he faced a police probe into the allegations made by a 16-year-old boy.


Police in Manchester are investigating an incident close to Keane's £1.4million home in the wealthy suburb of Hale.

Keane, 33, and the teenager reportedly had a row before clashing as the player was walking his Labrador dog on Hale Golf Course on September 4.

Today, the midfielder flew out with Sir Alex Ferguson and the rest of the team for a Champions League game in France.

Keane looked surprised at the mass of TV and press cameramen waiting at Manchester Airport when he arrived.

He quickly jumped the queue of other United players and officials who were signing autographs and chatting to fans as they waited to board.

Keane went to the check-in desk to show his passport then headed directly for VIP `Fast Lane' departures.

Wearing a grey and red official Man United tracksuit, Keane refused to speak to reporters and said only 'f*** off' when asked about the alleged incident.

The team boarded a private charter jet to Lyon, the club they play in tomorrow's Champions League game.

It is not yet known when the Irish international will be questioned by Greater Manchester Police officers.

A police spokeswoman said: 'Police in Trafford are investigating reports that a 16-year-old boy was assaulted on Saturday 4 September 2004.

'The incident occurred on Merrydale in Hale shortly after 5.30pm. Inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident are continuing.'

 

[sid]

hopefully keano kick the wee tosser in the cnut,propable pissed keane off & he lost it !1snap