The Mail Bag
Chance Lost
Comments (25)
Rangers in the Uefa Cup semi-final. Yep that's all we might have had to beat to get to the final!
If we had put even a tenth of the shift in Florence that Rangers have continually done away from home, we would have been playing PSV tonight, and to put that in perspective, they lost at home tonight to Fiorentina, remember them? Yes, that's right, the team we battered at home!!!
At least we can root for Rangers if only because the other lot are a bunch of graceless arrogant gits who got lucky against us. Ah well, another season of what might have been!!
Martin Kulkarni, Posted 10/04/2008 at 23:07:53
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Marco Reston
2 Posted 11/04/2008 at 07:24:55
2 Posted 11/04/2008 at 07:24:55
Dear Martin You can also reach glasgow to applaud fiorentina....
Erik Dols
3 Posted 11/04/2008 at 07:36:31
3 Posted 11/04/2008 at 07:36:31
I saw the entire PSV - Fiorentina match yesterday. For about 35 minutes Fiorentina was invisible and PSV was more likely to score. Then Mutu scored an absolute stunner, a free-kick from 25 or 30 yards.
After that PSV lost their head in forcing for the equalizer, Fiorentina counter-attacked to 0-2 and the game was done.
So what I really want to say: I don’t know if we’d beaten PSV. Depends on if we scored that goal in the first half. I can’t remember us scoring a beautiful free-kick from 30 yards out this season (or the last season for that matter) and Fiorentina hardly got closer to PSV’s goal before that moment.
After that PSV lost their head in forcing for the equalizer, Fiorentina counter-attacked to 0-2 and the game was done.
So what I really want to say: I don’t know if we’d beaten PSV. Depends on if we scored that goal in the first half. I can’t remember us scoring a beautiful free-kick from 30 yards out this season (or the last season for that matter) and Fiorentina hardly got closer to PSV’s goal before that moment.
Tony Heslop
4 Posted 11/04/2008 at 07:44:41
4 Posted 11/04/2008 at 07:44:41
Will Rangers be given more than 2400 tickets, I wonder?
Mike Grundy
5 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:18:08
5 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:18:08
Will they recieve the fantastic hospitality we did?
Arthur Jones
6 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:33:57
6 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:33:57
Zenit and Fiorentina are in the Uefa Cup semi finals... two teams we have beaten this season. If only ......?
Paul O'Hanlon
7 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:41:48
7 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:41:48
Whilst it?s depressing that Fiorentina and particularly Zenit are in the Semi?s, we have to remember this was our current squad's first proper season in the Uefa Cup.
Hopefully lessons will be learnt next season regarding away performances (i.e. don?t play Neville, Carsley and HIbbert together or you?ll never keep possesion!).
Hopefully lessons will be learnt next season regarding away performances (i.e. don?t play Neville, Carsley and HIbbert together or you?ll never keep possesion!).
Tom Edwards
8 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:53:59
8 Posted 11/04/2008 at 08:53:59
It?s all well and good saying "if only....". Let?s be realistic here. If the Everton the team that played (or didn?t as the case may be) at Fiorentina, turned out against any of the other semi-finalists, it would have it?s arse kicked.
Ravo Stanley
9 Posted 11/04/2008 at 09:04:34
9 Posted 11/04/2008 at 09:04:34
Going into the Firenze games I really wanted to draw Rangers further on in the cup. Nothing against Rangers per se, I used to like them when I was a kid, I just wanted to see us batter them and that clueless, gormless, sod say he was "Disappointed"!
Paul Lenehan
10 Posted 11/04/2008 at 10:18:33
10 Posted 11/04/2008 at 10:18:33
Big chance missed. But then I think we all knew that after the Fiorentina game. Being from Ireland the place is coming down with Celtic and Rangers fans and in my opinion both are average teams. As already said we beat Zenit and Fiorentina already. There is always next year! COYB!
Darrel Pugh
11 Posted 11/04/2008 at 10:30:09
11 Posted 11/04/2008 at 10:30:09
Why does Walter Smith?s CV just follow a long line success apart from 3 crap years at ours? Given what he has acheived elsewhere surely we should have been at least as decent as Moyes team now? Any ideas anyone?
Erik Dols
12 Posted 11/04/2008 at 10:35:12
12 Posted 11/04/2008 at 10:35:12
Darrel,
He had succes at managing some Scotland youth team early in his managing career, and later on he did reasonable at managing the Scotland senior team last years. He didn’t qualify them though, so let’s not get over-excited about that. Moreover: at a national team he can’t buy or sell players. At a national team you hardly can improve or decrease the skills of players in training, you can hardly make them stronger mentally or learn them how to live life like a professional.
The only team he has been succesful over sustained, long periods of time is Rangers. When he did their great job in the nineties, winning nine titles in a row, Celtic were unable to cope financially and Rangers were really the only team spending big bucks. Every manager would ha ve had some form of succes. Credit has to be given to Smith though, winning nine titles in a row is even under these circumstances a remarkable feat. His recent succes at rangers, well, Celtic looks a bit less sharp since O’Neill left. And Smith hasn’t really had the time to build his own team again. I’m very curious if Rangers can mantain their edge over Celtic the next couple of years. By the way, according to wikipedia, Smith’s first two successors after his first term (Advocaat and McLeish), actually have higher percentages of games won. Which proves to me that Rangers really were the only top team in Scotland from say 1990 till 1997.
In short: I think Smith isn’t the best in buying players and had little competition in the time he won the league year-in year-out. To add some consolation: Smith had a period of time when he did ok at Everton and it looked like we were heading the right way. It’s a shame it didn’t last that long.
He had succes at managing some Scotland youth team early in his managing career, and later on he did reasonable at managing the Scotland senior team last years. He didn’t qualify them though, so let’s not get over-excited about that. Moreover: at a national team he can’t buy or sell players. At a national team you hardly can improve or decrease the skills of players in training, you can hardly make them stronger mentally or learn them how to live life like a professional.
The only team he has been succesful over sustained, long periods of time is Rangers. When he did their great job in the nineties, winning nine titles in a row, Celtic were unable to cope financially and Rangers were really the only team spending big bucks. Every manager would ha ve had some form of succes. Credit has to be given to Smith though, winning nine titles in a row is even under these circumstances a remarkable feat. His recent succes at rangers, well, Celtic looks a bit less sharp since O’Neill left. And Smith hasn’t really had the time to build his own team again. I’m very curious if Rangers can mantain their edge over Celtic the next couple of years. By the way, according to wikipedia, Smith’s first two successors after his first term (Advocaat and McLeish), actually have higher percentages of games won. Which proves to me that Rangers really were the only top team in Scotland from say 1990 till 1997.
In short: I think Smith isn’t the best in buying players and had little competition in the time he won the league year-in year-out. To add some consolation: Smith had a period of time when he did ok at Everton and it looked like we were heading the right way. It’s a shame it didn’t last that long.
Robbie Kirkham
13 Posted 11/04/2008 at 11:25:36
13 Posted 11/04/2008 at 11:25:36
On the subject of UEFA Cup does anyone know if we have entered the Intertoto as a back up incase we fail to qualify through the leauge?
Paul Lenehan
14 Posted 11/04/2008 at 11:45:48
14 Posted 11/04/2008 at 11:45:48
Yes we have Robbie
Daniel Mckeown
15 Posted 11/04/2008 at 12:22:40
15 Posted 11/04/2008 at 12:22:40
Just looking at Darrell’s question about Walter Smith and why he wasnt a success when with us and I would put that down to two words, Peter Johnson.
Smith came in his first year spent a load of money and was then told to sell it all on and buy second rate players after that. Were could we have gone if he had been allowed to keep Dacourt and Materazzi, two players that have gone on to show how good they were, and i think he brought in John Collins who was a great signing. I think after that summer where he was forced to sell everything, maybe his heart wasnt in it or he knew he was fighting a losing battle with Johnson, either way i think it is unfair due to circumstances to say it was solely Smiths fault.
Smith came in his first year spent a load of money and was then told to sell it all on and buy second rate players after that. Were could we have gone if he had been allowed to keep Dacourt and Materazzi, two players that have gone on to show how good they were, and i think he brought in John Collins who was a great signing. I think after that summer where he was forced to sell everything, maybe his heart wasnt in it or he knew he was fighting a losing battle with Johnson, either way i think it is unfair due to circumstances to say it was solely Smiths fault.
Juan Roman
16 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:26:56
16 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:26:56
Yes let’s all root for Rangers. And while we’re at it let’s get behind the ’pool in the Champions League too.
Glen Strachan
17 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:18:17
17 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:18:17
Daniel
It did not just stop at two players.
The Ferguson saga ???????
He didn?t know Duncan had been sold until the player came and told him.
This club was a mess back then and Walter kept us just about hanging together.
He deserves far more credit than many gave him at the time.
He also identified Moyes as his successor and left with dignitiy.
Managing Rangers or Celtic at any time is much more difficult than many of our more arrogant posters often seem to believe.
Well done to Walter even if the UEFA Cup is hardly a big deal these days , he has got to the semis on a shoestring with a team anchored around the ancient David Weir in a season where he has again had to sell his best player (Hutton to Spurs for £9 million).
I don?t think Moyes regards Rangers or Celtic as small clubs so let?s give them their place.
It did not just stop at two players.
The Ferguson saga ???????
He didn?t know Duncan had been sold until the player came and told him.
This club was a mess back then and Walter kept us just about hanging together.
He deserves far more credit than many gave him at the time.
He also identified Moyes as his successor and left with dignitiy.
Managing Rangers or Celtic at any time is much more difficult than many of our more arrogant posters often seem to believe.
Well done to Walter even if the UEFA Cup is hardly a big deal these days , he has got to the semis on a shoestring with a team anchored around the ancient David Weir in a season where he has again had to sell his best player (Hutton to Spurs for £9 million).
I don?t think Moyes regards Rangers or Celtic as small clubs so let?s give them their place.
Joe McMahon
18 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:31:34
18 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:31:34
Daniel Mckeown - sorry but John Collins was bloody awfull!!
I remeber he missed a penaly againts Villa, and he blamed the TV coverage of him taking a penalty in the world cup - What a Wanker.
I remeber he missed a penaly againts Villa, and he blamed the TV coverage of him taking a penalty in the world cup - What a Wanker.
Steve Williams
19 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:55:22
19 Posted 11/04/2008 at 13:55:22
Don’t see what all the bleating’s about.
We had 180 minutes (210 if you include the extra time) to get past Fiorentina and couldn’t. If that isn’t long enough, then we we must accept that we just weren’t good enough.
Incidentally, we only just scraped past a 10 man Zenit side at home. They are a much better side than many give them credit for - probably the best side left in the competition.
Hopefully we can pull ourselves together to hold onto 5th place so that we can get another crack next season when we will have that bit more experience.
We had 180 minutes (210 if you include the extra time) to get past Fiorentina and couldn’t. If that isn’t long enough, then we we must accept that we just weren’t good enough.
Incidentally, we only just scraped past a 10 man Zenit side at home. They are a much better side than many give them credit for - probably the best side left in the competition.
Hopefully we can pull ourselves together to hold onto 5th place so that we can get another crack next season when we will have that bit more experience.
Tony Marks
20 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:26:03
20 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:26:03
Root for rangers? eeerrr.........NO!
Greg Doyle
21 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:30:53
21 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:30:53
I had more fun at the UEFA cup games last season than I’ve had for years. I was at Metalist Kharkiv away when Faddy turned it on and Victor scored that mad goal where he took forever to put it away. It was one of the best nights of my life!
People forget to enjoy football sometimes because they are so focused on picking holes in everything.
Enjoy it and stop whingeing!
People forget to enjoy football sometimes because they are so focused on picking holes in everything.
Enjoy it and stop whingeing!
Mick Gallagher
22 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:51:53
22 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:51:53
If only, we could go forever. Just enjoy the days we had away and hope next year we get that bit more luck. Forget the Uefa Cup and get behind the blues tomorrow at Birmingham. Three points and keep the pressure on the shite.
Ciaran Duff
23 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:52:17
23 Posted 11/04/2008 at 14:52:17
Rangers can go and get rooted as far as I?m concerned.
Gerry Western
24 Posted 12/04/2008 at 00:47:31
24 Posted 12/04/2008 at 00:47:31
Some people have short memories. Isn’t this the club whose fans brought their very own brand of sectarian bigotry to the streets of Liverpool a few seasons ago for a so called friendly. Subjecting Everton fans to religious taunts prior to, during and after the game. Provoking a mini riot. Personally I hope they are comprehensively beaten.
Mike Allison
25 Posted 12/04/2008 at 16:53:31
25 Posted 12/04/2008 at 16:53:31
Hang on. Are we really letting Joe McMahon get away with claiming "John Collins was bloody awful"?
John Collins was a quality player with great touch and technique and an excellent passer of the ball. We could really do with a player like him right now.
John Collins was a quality player with great touch and technique and an excellent passer of the ball. We could really do with a player like him right now.
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1 Posted 11/04/2008 at 07:12:02
Get over it