Celtic's second straight league title

Because it's never a bad idea to gloat about a victory that hasn't been earned yet! :3d smile:


Rangers' hopes unofficially ended today when they lost 1-0 at Falkirk. With that loss, they're now 16 POINTS back of Celtic, and are only in second place because of goal differentials. The way they've been going this season, they'll struggle to finish the season as the runners-up, or even the top four (the UEFA Cup spots). Teams like Aberdeen and Hibernian are very close to them in the league table, and probably will be until the end of the season.

The other main contenders, Hearts, are flat-out DONE. Their chairman (Vladimir Romanov) has run their season straight into the ground. I read a story about how Romanov threatened to sell off all his players if they didn't win their upcoming match. They still didn't win. :lol: Simply put, this is one of the most drama-filled teams in all of sports.


All of which means Celtic should win the league as comfortably as they did last year, if not more. Everything that could go right has gone right for them. If a nuclear bomb were to fall on Celtic Park, they would still win the league. Drastic comparison, I know, but that's how much of a stranglehold they have over the SPL.

 

RE: Celtic

Still assimilating to the outcast Scottish League. Who are "the People"?

I think Celtic, Rangers, and perhaps a few others chance at joining the English Premier League is more a matter of when, not if.

C'mon Bhoys! (Until you join the EPL).

 

RE: Celtic

No chance on this one. At least not for a good number of years as far as I see it. I do not have facts to back up my beliefs, but I do not think this will happen anytime soon.

Would you expand the Premiership to 22 teams? Would more teams get relegated/promoted? What would happen to the current SPL?

It sounds like a good idea and I would probably be in favor of it, but there seem to be a number of obstacles in the way of it actually occurring.

I feel if these two teams left, the SPL would end being a league that is not good at all. Not that it is all that competitive outside the top two teams, but there is a lot of history involved in this as well.

 

RE: Celtic

Totally agree with Tom,

It is unlikely to happen as it would not make financial sense for the Scots - they would miss out on guarenteed champions league.

I don't think there is a hope in hell of the EPL voting to let them in as it would not be to their benifit either, why the hell would Reading/Fulham/Charlton etc. want to surrender their place to Heart or Rangers.

There is plenty of anti-English/anti-Scot feeling on both side of the border and that could lead to crowd trouble.

As for the leaguge going to 22 - FIFA and UEFA are both pushing for a smaller number of clubs in the prem league.

I have to say that I am totally against the idea in the same way that I would not want to invite the top French clubs in.

 

RE: Celtic

I've heard some of those arguments before, GBFC, so they must not be without merit. However, how many years can the Scottish League keep this up (as it is still a relatively new league, "In 1998, the football clubs in the Premier Division decided to split from the Scottish Football League and form the Scottish Premier League, following an earlier example in England in 1992.") The competition is struggling against Celtic, as even Rangers are not apparently what they used to be. And the EPL is questionably watered down with lower level teams that haven't a chance. Improve the teams involved, improve the players involved, improve on the number of fans worldwide, improve the money making ability of all involved. Rising tides lift all ships, and that.

I'm not saying any SPL team should replace any EPL team. They would have to earn their way, with perhaps only the #1 team from SPL qualifying for EPL grouping. The idea is to make football better, and perhaps actually unite people who are divided along historically antiquated ideas of each other, yet only an arms length apart.

The difference between France and Scotland in your analysis, as I see it, is quite a bit of water, and a significant language and cultural barrier And I know English will argue the last two are just as bad with the Scots, but come on, really?

 

Re: RE: Celtic

I guess without Celtic and Rangers, the SPL will be owned by...Hearts? The only two big teams I can identify out of the SPL are Celtic and Rangers, I agree that their absence will kill the significance of the SPL.

Oooh, ooh, does the winner of that then travel into the Hooligan Douchebag Champions League to take on ADO Den Haag and Paris St. Germain?

 

RE: Re: RE: Celtic

Whatever happened to the visionaries.........

You could incorporate Scottish teams into every level of the EPL, and.......nevermind.

 

RE: Re: RE: Celtic

Honestly - that is their problem. The people that run their league need to alter their product if it is not working. If the Scottish league dies a slow death I will not weep for them.

The water is small enough to swim, although not by me. I can be in Paris 3 hours quicker than I can be in Glasgow.

There is considerably more chance of a European Super League where Man U, Chelski, Liverpool, Celtic, Barca, Real, Milans and Munchies will slog it out with everyone else not caring.

Which division do you put Hearts in? Hibs would struggle in the Championship. You would also place an even greater financial strain on lower league clubs. It was not that long ago that a trip to Carlilse nearly bankrupted fulham and the players had to pay to stay overnight in Bed & Breakfasts. At the moment 90% of games can be made in a single days travel, but when Plymouth has to play Inverness it becomes impossible.

If you just take the cream of the Scottish league then you destroy the rest of their clubs.

I agree that bringing Celtic to the party would add interest, although week in week out I believe they would struggle to be top 3 in the premiership. It is easy to get up for the odd game against an English club, but every week would see bubble burst.

I don't think any other Scottish team will bring quality that is currently missing, they would bring comparible quality and plus much of Scottish football is faster and relies on the long ball more, not the kind of football I want to see. It would be like watching more Boltons.

The issues between England and Scotland are vast and football integration is more likely to inflame it.

 

I like that he sensibly addresses the issues.

Reminds of one muppet I know on this MB, who is far different from the other muppet. One of these muppets is not like the other.....(jab, jab)

All in fun. (My smilies don't work anymore on the "Quick Reply", since the hijacking.)

One benfit to the SPL and EPL remaining separate, I can support Celtic and Fuham no problema. And Celtic usually at least have role in the Champions League for a little while.

Fulham will hopefully get there one day, and then perhaps all our frustration will seem to have been so petty, or...........

 

Well, there's no way my other favorite club, Aberdeen, can catch Celtic but I'm excited to see them in second place. It's been a fair while since the Dons have had a chance at Europe.

It seems that in many football leagues in Europe, the majority of the honors are won by a few teams. Do you think it would be similar if say Major League Baseball had no divisions and just threw everyone in the same pot? Or, on the converse, would the EPL going to a system similar to the MLS make the stranglehold that the top teams have on the league less stalwart? Not that I want either of these scenarios to happen but I'm just throwing them out there for discussion's sake.

 

The difference between the American/Canadian sports leagues and European football is not the format of the table. The differences are:

1) The draft, which allows the weakest teams to acquire the best young talent, and
2) Much more revenue sharing

 

True. But if the EPL had conferences and a playoff system, there would be more chances for upsets and perhaps the big 4 wouldn't win as many titles. As it stands, a realistic chance at winning the EPL is gone for most teams by mid season. Again, I'm not advocating this system for the EPL, just speculating.

 

Three dancing bananas for this one! :banana: :banana: :banana:

 

Awesome!

JVoH and Nakamura were perefct partners for securing the win and league championship.

Wore my Hoops kit to play pick-up this a.m. Got two goals of my own to match the winning brace.

'Mon the Bhoys!!!