The Football.....

[T4tomo]

Celtic have released a statement...

https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/may/17/celtic-football-club-statement/

Which reads like they got bored halfway through and just stopped.

they've defo missed out the bit about being gifted the title at Motherwell.

It would have been much better for Scottish football had Hearts won.

I hope Bournemouth win tonight, we're getting nothing out of the Arsenal fans at work as they are so crippled by hope & nerves. The sooner that end the better

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

they've defo missed out the bit about being gifted the title at Motherwell.

It would have been much better for Scottish football had Hearts won.

I hope Bournemouth win tonight, we're getting nothing out of the Arsenal fans at work as they are so crippled by hope & nerves. The sooner that end the better

Surely you have been getting nothing from them for about the last 20 years then 😂

 

[Pblakeney]

Yes, he is clearly a good Manager, but as you say he strikes me as someone who is going to look after himself if things go wrong. Following on from 10 years of Guardiola (plus the 115 charges still pending), there is plenty of scope for things to go South!

I get the distinct impression that the the FA would rather that those 115 charges just faded away and were forgotten about.
#rotten

 

[T4tomo]

Southampton cheating scum Spy-gate hearing has started - may have a verdict later today or might not....

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I get the distinct impression that the the FA would rather that those 115 charges just faded away and were forgotten about.
#rotten

It seems that way, there certainly seems to be no hurry for a resolution.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

It seems that way, there certainly seems to be no hurry for a resolution.

Well the main reason it's been taking so long is that City have severely lawyered up - they've been challenging everything, over-complying ("we need documents about x,y and z", "Here's a literal truckload of paperwork, should be in there somewhere"), and giving every indication that they'll challenge any outcome they don't like, dragging it out even further and costing many, many more millions and damaging whatever credibility the Premier League might have left. The league are probably trying to find some sort of compromise that City won't challenge, and are also caught between looking like they've given a City a free pass (very damaging) and looking like the last decade of their mega-product has been a sham (also very damaging).

 

[Pblakeney]

The league are probably trying to find some sort of compromise that City won't challenge,

In which case all credibility has already been lost.
That it basically boils down to if you have enough money you get off is disappointing but unsurprising.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Well the main reason it's been taking so long is that City have severely lawyered up - they've been challenging everything, over-complying ("we need documents about x,y and z", "Here's a literal truckload of paperwork, should be in there somewhere"), and giving every indication that they'll challenge any outcome they don't like, dragging it out even further and costing many, many more millions and damaging whatever credibility the Premier League might have left. The league are probably trying to find some sort of compromise that City won't challenge, and are also caught between looking like they've given a City a free pass (very damaging) and looking like the last decade of their mega-product has been a sham (also very damaging).

Yes, I have read that they have thrown millions at it, with a bunch of Lawyers there to pretty much slow the process to a halt. Which calls into question the fundamental legal framework underpinning the PL rule and regs. If you can't actually enforce them as intended due to a bunch of clever lawyers creating a myriad of objections to hinder you, then surely they weren't that robust in the first place?

I am sure you are right, some very watered down compromise will be agreed to at some point, probably a reasonable fine but zero loss of titles or points deductions.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

4th place last season. He did win the Euro conference league and World Club Championship, but I think most would argue they are fairly meaningless trophies. His win record there was good at just under 60% which is what you would expect from a top 4 Manager.

I think the fans of 99% of the world's football clubs would dispute that. They're only "Meaningless" if you think all that matters is how the mega rich elite share the spoils between them.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I think the fans of 99% of the world's football clubs would dispute that. They're only "Meaningless" if you think all that matters is how the mega rich elite share the spoils between them.

I'd respectfully disagree. Would many argue with the suggestion that both trophies were really just created to add even more football onto the calendar and drive revenue up for UEFA and FIFA respectively? There are numerous trophies that have existed for decades and were born out of the spirit of competition.

If you are going to make the argument that it is about creating opportunity for wider glory, then surely we should have European trophies for all league football clubs across Europe? As it stands, even the Euro Conference is limited a a handful of elite Premier League teams for places.

I respect the fact that as a Hammer the CL win is going to mean something to you, and any fan of a cub that wins one of these trophies will feel that it is meaningful. I would argue that in the grand scheme of football trophies and traditions though, that both of them do not carry the weight of the established major trophies and IMO are more about money than anything else.

Like I said though, I do respect the fact that others will see them as important.