Kevin Thomson offered some advice to The Mooch today in how to deal with Celtic at Hampden tomorrow. Was it about tactics or strategy or the playing of brilliant football? No, he recommended that they try to “rough us up.”
Which shows you what faith these guys put in their ability to simply play better football. He wants to decide the game as if it was Rollerball, and he isn’t the only person to propose that Ibrox adopts a strategy along these particular gruesome lines.
Between this and goons like McLeish telling them that they only have to believe that they can win to do so, there’s a distinct lack of genuine confidence in their side showing up.
Which kind of makes a mockery of all those news reports we’ve had to read this season about how we will eventually see the” real” Ibrox club emerge as if from the shadows.
It seems that not even their own media cheerleaders believe in that shaky narrative. They recognise it for the nonsense that it is. It’s a tacit recognition that the gap is bigger than they want to give us credit for. It’s as close to them telling the truth as we might get, short of an annihilating win tomorrow which strips away any further need for debate.
What comes across most here, of course, is the old school thinking that swirls around their club, and in all these people offering them “advice.” That almost certainly has to be reflected inside the walls too. Their club is a mess; no matter what spin is put on it.
It is easy to say that their club cannot be held responsible for the people who flutter around it talking this kind of crap. But you know what? That’s a cop-out as well because they could, very easily, if they had a shred of sense.
Celtic has already spoken up against people who claim to speak on the club’s behalf or who offer “advice” like this. Their club could tell these people to keep it shut and stop piling pressure on them or suggesting that this sort of help is needed.
The Mooch, if he was smart, would tell these people that they are blocking out all the white noise, that they aren’t paying a blind bit of notice to it and that they are following more effective strategies than crossing their fingers and hoping, or kicking Celtic off the park.
You know why he won’t do that? Because he doesn’t have better strategies.
Denying our superiority in the last couple of fixtures is just another way of crossing your fingers and trusting to hope.
And rough-housing Celtic?
That’s a strategy at Ibrox which is as old as the building.
They will certainly try some variation of it.
The thing is, we’re no longer as easy to bully as we once were.
There are warriors in this team who will give as good as they get.
Why do they have to wheel out McLeish, as though he has something to offer?
He should STILL be hiding at home – in shame – for taking on the Scotland the job when he clearly wasn’t fit to do it. And don’t mention his Rangers £1.7M EBT. 🙁
As for Thomson’s ‘advice’ – well, it’s a nice compliment!
Everybody knows that if you’re up against a far superior team,
the last thing you want to do is actually play football!
The concern, as always though, is just how much ‘leeway’ the ref –
and the VAR official in the Lodge – give sevco players for ‘early tackles’ and any
off the ball nonsense…?
We just need to keep our discipline, to get the result we want.
Ange Postecoglou spoke a confident interview when he was confronted by the reporters yesterday but……. I’m apprehensive going into this game tomorrow. Even though they haven’t beaten us this season, the games of late against the Rangers have been close enough to suggest they’ll have a go tomorrow. I don’t think we should get ahead of ourselves. The result last week is a reminder of that and if we turn out a performance like that it could be trouble. I’m desperate for us to win tomorrow like every other Tim as this would be the final nail in the Govan coffin. Here’s hoping because victory tomorrow puts the treble in touching distance.
The other fellow who told Alloa to do the same, has not been
offered a Management position since. Perhaps he has not
applied for any. Beale is not as stupid as these fellows.
Desperation instructions as suggested might see Freddo
get a red card.
If they are attempting to rough us up, then they are not playing football and will suffer accordingly. Besides we are too quick for them, catching us before aiming kicks will in itself be a tough challenge for them. A red card will also bring an end to any chance they may have had in the game, let them try it.
Sevco narrowly beat us in the last semi final because they were allowed to kick the shit out of our fullbacks. Even then, it was touch and go who was going to win. The refereeing that day was a disgrace as it facilitated the outcome. This should not be allowed to happen again.
It will always happen Jack, we don’t just have to be better than them, we have to be much, much better
or we will lose.
The world ranked coach Kevin Thomson, in his own mind, is a fecking arsehole of the first ordure . Coaches of his mentality, “ rough them up!” Are historically responsible for the lack of real development in Scottish football. Never mind skills and technique ,learn to rough the opposition up and kick them off the park. “ Getrightintaethem!” Scottish football 101.
Has Thomson ever won anything? ?????