- 06/05/2025
Rangers Tifo Sparks Backlash | Old Firm Fallout, PFA Scotland Awards, and Fan Conduct Debate ⚽
We dissect all the drama from Scottish football — with a major spotlight on Rangers vs Celtic at Ibrox.
Martin O'Neill vs Gordon Strachan LIVE - Get Tickets Now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/134529...
Get EXCLUSIVE members only content: / @plzsoccer
SUBSCRIBE NOW: / @plzsoccer
Rangers Tifo Controversy
The show opens with a deep dive into the controversial tifo displayed by Rangers fans before kickoff in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox.
🏆 PFA SCOTLAND AWARDS:
Daizen Maeda named Player of the Year
Lennon Miller wins Young Player of the Year
John McGlynn takes Manager of the Year
Reaction to all the winners and their achievements
⚔️ Old Firm Fallout: Rangers 1-1 Celtic
Who were the standout performers? Raskin and Balogun praised
Celtic’s attack lacking sharpness, McGregor consistent as ever
Barry Ferguson’s post-match press conference and case to remain Rangers manager
Debate over whether Rangers have done enough this season
💬 Scottish Football Fan Conduct Across the Scottish Premiership
Discussion on sectarian chants, banners, and bottle-throwing
What responsibility do football clubs and SFA hold?
Reflections on how fan behaviour is policed and punished in Scotland
⚽ Elsewhere in the SPFL:
Motherwell’s smash-and-grab at Dens Park
Hibs rise to 3rd under David Gray
Aberdeen’s inconsistency under Jimmy Thelin
St Johnstone’s relegation fight with Ross County
Falkirk’s promotion success under John McGlynn
Playoff predictions: Partick Thistle, Ayr United, and Livingston
📺 Plus:
Reflections on player health and dementia, focusing on Andy Payton
The case for clear daylight offside rule
Reactions to VAR decisions, manager frustrations, and match-changing moments
💬 Join the debate in the comments!
🟢 Was the Rangers tifo acceptable or unacceptable?
🔴 Who stood out in the Old Firm?
⚪ Should Barry Ferguson stay on as manager?
📲 Subscribe for more free content and check out PLZ Premium for exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes, and more ➡️ [Join PLZ Premium]
The Football Show LIVE Highlights:
00:00:00 Intro - Steven O'Donnell and Steven McGowan
Peter Martin welcomes viewers, introduces Alan Rough, Steven O'Donnell, and Steven McGowan, and previews the show topics including PFA Awards, Old Firm fallout, fan behaviour, and playoff analysis.
00:00:32 PFA Scotland Awards recap
00:02:09 Maeda’s transformation at Celtic
00:03:44 John McGlynn Manager of the Year
00:05:18 Lennon Miller - Young Player of the Year
00:07:01 Rangers fans' display at Ibrox and objects thrown
00:10:48 Old Firm fan behaviour problems
00:13:03 Dementia in footballers
00:19:36 Rangers 1-1 Celtic analysis and reaction
00:22:10 Barry Ferguson’s future as manager and Rangers rebuild
00:27:01 Cyriel Dessers debate - 47 goals in 2 seasons
00:30:19 Celticfans criticism of Taylor, Scale, Idah and Bernardo
We dissect all the drama from Scottish football — with a major spotlight on Rangers vs Celtic at Ibrox.
Martin O'Neill vs Gordon Strachan LIVE - Get Tickets Now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/134529...
Get EXCLUSIVE members only content: / @plzsoccer
SUBSCRIBE NOW: / @plzsoccer
Rangers Tifo Controversy
The show opens with a deep dive into the controversial tifo displayed by Rangers fans before kickoff in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox.
🏆 PFA SCOTLAND AWARDS:
Daizen Maeda named Player of the Year
Lennon Miller wins Young Player of the Year
John McGlynn takes Manager of the Year
Reaction to all the winners and their achievements
⚔️ Old Firm Fallout: Rangers 1-1 Celtic
Who were the standout performers? Raskin and Balogun praised
Celtic’s attack lacking sharpness, McGregor consistent as ever
Barry Ferguson’s post-match press conference and case to remain Rangers manager
Debate over whether Rangers have done enough this season
💬 Scottish Football Fan Conduct Across the Scottish Premiership
Discussion on sectarian chants, banners, and bottle-throwing
What responsibility do football clubs and SFA hold?
Reflections on how fan behaviour is policed and punished in Scotland
⚽ Elsewhere in the SPFL:
Motherwell’s smash-and-grab at Dens Park
Hibs rise to 3rd under David Gray
Aberdeen’s inconsistency under Jimmy Thelin
St Johnstone’s relegation fight with Ross County
Falkirk’s promotion success under John McGlynn
Playoff predictions: Partick Thistle, Ayr United, and Livingston
📺 Plus:
Reflections on player health and dementia, focusing on Andy Payton
The case for clear daylight offside rule
Reactions to VAR decisions, manager frustrations, and match-changing moments
💬 Join the debate in the comments!
🟢 Was the Rangers tifo acceptable or unacceptable?
🔴 Who stood out in the Old Firm?
⚪ Should Barry Ferguson stay on as manager?
📲 Subscribe for more free content and check out PLZ Premium for exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes, and more ➡️ [Join PLZ Premium]
The Football Show LIVE Highlights:
00:00:00 Intro - Steven O'Donnell and Steven McGowan
Peter Martin welcomes viewers, introduces Alan Rough, Steven O'Donnell, and Steven McGowan, and previews the show topics including PFA Awards, Old Firm fallout, fan behaviour, and playoff analysis.
00:00:32 PFA Scotland Awards recap
00:02:09 Maeda’s transformation at Celtic
00:03:44 John McGlynn Manager of the Year
00:05:18 Lennon Miller - Young Player of the Year
00:07:01 Rangers fans' display at Ibrox and objects thrown
00:10:48 Old Firm fan behaviour problems
00:13:03 Dementia in footballers
00:19:36 Rangers 1-1 Celtic analysis and reaction
00:22:10 Barry Ferguson’s future as manager and Rangers rebuild
00:27:01 Cyriel Dessers debate - 47 goals in 2 seasons
00:30:19 Celticfans criticism of Taylor, Scale, Idah and Bernardo
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00:00Welcome to the football show on PLZ Soccer's YouTube channel, I'm Peter Martin, Alan Ruff
00:00:12is alongside me and two special guests on a Monday, Stephen O'Donnell and Stephen McGowan
00:00:16are here with me and here's what's coming up.
00:00:30Yeah, just a few of the topics to discuss, we'll look back over the weekend, Scottish
00:00:51Premiership fixtures, look ahead to what we have in store this week which involves playoffs,
00:00:56a bit of European football thrown in for good measure and if we get right to the end and
00:01:00we're looking for something to talk about, Harry Kane as a winner in the Bundesliga, let's
00:01:05see if we can get there. Great to have the two Stephens with us Ruffy, PFA Awards in the
00:01:11end, Dyson Maeda, John McGlynn and Lennon Miller, the big winners, here's the whole list of everybody
00:01:19who attended the awards last night and watched on as the player of the year, voted for by
00:01:24the players, Dyson Maeda picked up at that award, the young player, Lennon Miller, the
00:01:28Championship Player of the Year was Brad Spencer, Fraser Taylor picked it up in League
00:01:33One, Alan Troughton in League Two and there's John McGlynn confirmed as Manager of the Year
00:01:38and for the SWPL, Emma Lawton was the Player of the Year, the young Player of the Year was
00:01:44Laura Berry and the Manager of the Year was Grant Scott. So, congratulations to all, any argument
00:01:52with it, Ruffy? No, I think we all know he was the front-runner for a long, long time,
00:01:55he's had a wonderful season, the amount of goals he scored since Keogh had left, I don't
00:02:00think anybody saw he was going to get that amount but, no, he's been a breath of fresh air,
00:02:04I think anybody we had in when we asked who they thought would be the front-runner, it
00:02:09was going to be him. Yeah, did he surprise you moving into that central role and scoring so
00:02:13many goals, Stephen? I think obviously scoring so many goals was maybe a bit of a surprise but
00:02:18what you knew from when he played out wide was the energy he gave, the relentlessness
00:02:22and his performances every week and he continued that when they were up top and he's getting
00:02:27chances, Celtic obviously have a lot of the ball and he's brought this season a composure
00:02:31in front of goal and delivery that has propelled him to Celtic's main man.
00:02:35Yeah, in the end, you know, when he goes there and he's firing in the amount of goals that
00:02:41he's fired in, that's certainly caught the attention of everybody. I'm not too sure
00:02:46whether some people might have a gripe about the manager of the year, Stephen, what do
00:02:51you make of it?
00:02:51Well, I think people always have a gripe about the manager of the year but, I mean,
00:02:54John McGowan's back-to-back promotions. I mean, it would be pretty, pretty poor to begrudge
00:03:00him that. Look, the trouble with these things always is the same. It's too early because you
00:03:05can't really get the full context until you know who's won everything. If Brendan Rogers
00:03:09wins a treble then it looks a bit harsh not to give it to him but equally you have that argument
00:03:14about resources as well, don't you?
00:03:15Yeah, and your teammate, young Lennon Miller, he looks assured. I watched him up at Den's
00:03:22at the weekend as well. He just, he's always looking for that forward pass. What is it
00:03:26that's so special about him that you see on a daily basis?
00:03:29He's just so calm, composed and, and always, he always wants the ball. That's one of the
00:03:34things that's the most impressive about someone so young is like the number of times you're,
00:03:38we're trying to find him into the park a lot now and when you find him, he will lose it
00:03:43sometimes as every player does. But the next time I get the ball, who's running over trying
00:03:48to give me the angle, he is constantly looking to better himself as a player, how he kind of listens,
00:03:54wants to kind of learn from this manager to different, he wants to learn from Kettlewell as
00:03:59well and it's, I know it's exciting to see how he does and interesting to see where he goes because
00:04:05he will go, I'm sure he will and nothing but the best from everyone at Muddle, he's been exceptional for us.
00:04:12Yeah, it's a big call for him, it's a big decision, he's got some really sensible people around him,
00:04:18none more so than his dad. I thought you were going to see me there, I was like, yeah, no, you're spawned.
00:04:21Let's not descend the show into stupidity, Stephen. He's waiting until he goes, before he goes in and he goes.
00:04:27Ah, I don't want to see how much money they get. Oh, you're still hanging on for the testimonial.
00:04:33But on that point though, I mean, as a player, there are no boundaries now when you consider that,
00:04:40you know, we're all sitting here watching Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmore on the air,
00:04:45you know, so close to winning a Serie A title. He's got a big call that he might say to himself,
00:04:51I want to go and develop myself in European football and it's open for him.
00:04:54I've spoken about this before, there was the debate with Young Rice, went to Rangers and Lennon stayed at Muddle.
00:05:04Decisions like this, you can make what you think is best for yourself and your family, there's no other
00:05:10nothing else matters because no matter where you go or what you do, if it goes well,
00:05:13people will say it was a masterstroke. If it goes badly, a shocking decision, should have stayed,
00:05:18should have left, whatever it is. So look, I'm delighted that he has stayed and played for Muddle
00:05:23because he's made us better for the 70 odd games he's played. He has improved our team.
00:05:28So selfishly, I'm delighted and hopefully he's got more experience, which then puts him into a position
00:05:33to be a first-team player wherever he goes. But look, I think he's a ridiculously talented
00:05:38footballer and no matter what path he chose, I think he would have made it. I just hope that
00:05:43he goes and kicks on again, which I'm sure he's capable of.
00:05:45Yeah. Congratulations to everyone who picked up an award at the ceremony last night. That's the
00:05:52highs of an award ceremony. We always like to talk about the football that we've witnessed
00:05:58over the weekend, whether it involves Celtic and Rangers playing other teams. But when the
00:06:03two of them lock horns together, you like to talk about what happens on the park. But as ever with
00:06:08the clubs when they get together, there always is a contentious moment. And it started right from
00:06:14the off with the TIFO that was displayed. Now, clearly, this TIFO has angered not just people
00:06:22who witnessed it in the stadium and on the TVs, but obviously it's upset Rangers as a club as well.
00:06:32Rangers Football Club has condemned the actions of the individual who threw a bottle during today's
00:06:36match. This behaviour is no place at our stadium, which is the first part. And then they go on to
00:06:41talk about the TIFO. We also acknowledge that the TIFO displayed prior to kick-off crossed the line
00:06:46and was unacceptable. Our approach to supporters displays has always been built on trust, with the
00:06:53responsibility placed on groups to exercise good judgment. So, let's deal with the immediate
00:07:01point, which is on, you know, the TIFO. Again, it's in bad taste, but I think over and above that,
00:07:11I think that could easily be nipped in the bud earlier. When you allow people into a stadium in
00:07:17the first place, there must be some kind of control on what you're going to display.
00:07:22That's what people can't understand. It's all very well Rangers making a statement,
00:07:26and they're right to make a statement, and I understand why, because this is a club you're
00:07:30trying to go through with a multi-million pound takeover just now. And it's very likely that
00:07:34the values of the potential new owners in San Francisco don't necessarily marry with the
00:07:39traditional values, inverted commas, of some of the supporters. But the fact is, how does that TIFO,
00:07:46something that monumental get into the stadium without the club knowing about it? I mean,
00:07:50I'm talking about always been built on trust. You know, I think if we know anything about Union
00:07:56Bears and the Green Brigade, you can't necessarily trust them to toe the line all the time. Altars
00:08:01will be altars. So, I think there has to be a bit more checks and balances going on when it comes
00:08:05to these things. Yeah. Ruffy, it was in poor taste. I had one of your old teammates photographed with a
00:08:10gun, first and foremost. And then secondary to that, you know, it's just a derogatory statement.
00:08:17Again, inflammatory as well. And I think that's the most pertinent point about it is the fact that
00:08:24with the fans holding this banner up, this again throws light on a very sensitive time when the
00:08:31owners are looking and saying, you want everything to be above board. You don't want negativity
00:08:37surrounding it when you're negotiating with them. I personally think if there is a takeover,
00:08:42the owners might be upset about these things, but are looking at the cold light of day off,
00:08:49financially, what are we getting ourselves into? Yeah, I think Stephen's right. I think any of
00:08:52the new owners over at that game would be an eye opener and they'd be turning around each other
00:08:57and going, what's that about? You know, that's the problem they're going to have when they get in.
00:09:01But you're right, for me, it's just happening far too often. And we sit here and we debate,
00:09:06how do you do it? How do you stop them getting in? The question for me is, why do they do it?
00:09:11You know, why do they think that that is acceptable on this day and age to do something like that?
00:09:16Yeah. You know, and just, they're on the verge of everything, you know, that stand getting banned,
00:09:23you know, not in SPL, but in Europe, you know, but something's got to happen. Somebody's got to
00:09:27come out and do something about it. You know, that's the problem. Who does?
00:09:30Yeah. I mean, you look at it. I mean, Police Scotland are obviously looking at it. I don't
00:09:35think it's a police matter personally, a TIFO. Other issues that happened when bottles going
00:09:40on the pitch and so on, that absolutely is a police matter. I don't know what a TIFO is,
00:09:43but do the SPFL, do the SAFA want to get involved in that? Well, I think we know the answer to that.
00:09:48Yeah. Banners, TIFOs can cross the line into whether the police would then view it as something
00:09:56that could incite. It must be about my personal feeling. I mean, I don't get offended by these
00:10:00things, to be honest. No, I don't either. I can't get excited about it. If people do get offended,
00:10:05fair enough. But, I mean, is that a police matter for me personally? Probably not. A bottle going on
00:10:12the pitch? Absolutely. The other thing about it, yeah, bottle going on the pitch. I'm excluding you for
00:10:20a specific reason, Stephen, because quite simply, you're playing football. It's a very difficult and
00:10:24volatile subject for a player of another club to offer, you know, some kind of forthright opinion
00:10:31on it, just in case you think I'm blanking you on it. The bottle's another problem because
00:10:35as we're sitting, you know, week in, week out talking about bringing drink back to the game,
00:10:40this just sets you further and further back. We were...
00:10:42Can you be trusted with a TIFO? How can you be trusted with a drink?
00:10:45Well, absolutely, because we were at Motherwell a couple of weeks ago where they had a beer garden.
00:10:49It was absolutely brilliantly organised. People just going for a drink of all ages
00:10:55and enjoying themselves, and then they would go into the game roughly. And drinking
00:10:59does happen around the grounds, but it makes it more and more difficult to get it on a...
00:11:04on the courtyard and the grounds.
00:11:06Yeah, but again, we...
00:11:08In the modern day, CCTV is everywhere in the stadium.
00:11:12If you go into Moe Stadium, there is a room with so many cameras that can identify that kind of thing. You would just like
00:11:20that they can pinpoint it and find a person. You know, same with the Celtic thing as well.
00:11:25They've got photographs of that guy with the phone in his hand. Identify them, make an example of them.
00:11:32And hopefully the people running about them would say, well, if I'm going to get banned for life,
00:11:36that's what's going to happen to me.
00:11:37Well, that brings me to the next point, which I do have here in the notes, which is quite simply,
00:11:41at times, genuinely good football fans who go to games, you know, want to watch the football,
00:11:48want to sing and support their team. We've already dealt with the TIFO in the bottle.
00:11:53When I saw the images of a man mocking the death of 66 people at Ibrox,
00:11:59it just beggars belief that, you know, first of all, he thinks that that is okay to do.
00:12:08It tells you all about his morals and values when he goes into a game like that. And again,
00:12:13if he's crossed the line, if he's broken the law, I'm sure the police will deal with it.
00:12:17There's also, I was reading in the papers today, investigations into an Aberdeen fan mocking
00:12:22a disabled St Mirren fan. There are people, and we've got to accept it in life, Stephen,
00:12:27who just come to games, and they are not nice people, no morals, no values,
00:12:34and basically, they tarnish the club by being associated with them.
00:12:38What a brain dead. I mean, it's very difficult to get your head around that stuff.
00:12:43How can anybody who has a normal background relate to what's going on in these situations?
00:12:49It is brain dead. And as you say, it's been a pretty grim weekend,
00:12:52if you look at what happened at Baisley, what happened at Ibrox.
00:12:56The problem is that what you get quite often is a whataboutery.
00:13:00Instead of fans looking at trying to appeal to their fellow fans and their own support
00:13:07to get their house in order, it's like, never mind us, what about what's going on over there?
00:13:10That's exactly what happens.
00:13:11And that is what's happening again here. And it's just like, look, can we all agree?
00:13:15It's not a...
00:13:16There's no points scoring.
00:13:18It's not a points scoring thing. It's not a club bias thing.
00:13:21You know, whenever this happens, it's out of order.
00:13:23Yeah, absolutely. OK, we've dealt with the issue. We're going to try and talk football.
00:13:28Just before we get on to the games, can I just mention that our thoughts are with Andy Payton.
00:13:36It was a story that caught my eye. Andy Payton played for Celtic in the 90s, only 57,
00:13:41Ruffey, battling against dementia. And clearly Andy was one of those players, striker,
00:13:47who would be heading the ball, you know, relentlessly in training and, of course, in match play.
00:13:52And at 57, his wife and himself are well aware of the fact that having seen and sought out medical advice,
00:13:59that dementia, early as it is, will play a part in his life in future years.
00:14:04Yeah, Tony Higgins in particular is active in doing something with dementia.
00:14:10We went through to Holyrood, a group of footballers just to put a case forward.
00:14:15I think it was about six or seven months ago.
00:14:17And I think, unfortunately, it never got taken any further.
00:14:20It was put in front of the MSPs and we debated it for a long, long time.
00:14:26Everybody threw in their tuppens worth of my generation and other generations.
00:14:31But I don't think anything happened. You know, they were looking for compensation.
00:14:35As other organizations were looking for some kind of, you know, some kind of decision.
00:14:41But we don't even know medically, you know, there's nobody coming out and actually going 100%.
00:14:45Yeah, you know, everybody seems to be again.
00:14:48Usually as it goes to something like that, it just goes round and round and round and round and nothing happens.
00:14:52Yeah, Stephen, what we do know is that of the evidence that's been presented,
00:14:57it is three to four times more likely that you could get, you know, dementia, Alzheimer's,
00:15:05based on the fact that you're heading a ball relentlessly, especially, dare I say it, centre-halfs, centre-forwards.
00:15:13It's probably a positive I've moved any centre-back at 33 or 33 years.
00:15:17I know exactly, that's what I was thinking. But the problem here is, Stephen, that as Ruffy mentioned there,
00:15:21and this is where I think it does hit a wall and it's quite simply, who pays?
00:15:27And if they have to pay, then they'll put a rider in a contract saying, by the way, you know the risks, there's no compensation.
00:15:33No, I think it's a wee bit, you see it over in America more so with American football and I think with the helmets they just feel they can't be broken and they fly into everything.
00:15:42I think, I'm surprised at that, being as high as that with heading it, I wouldn't have thought it would increase it that much.
00:15:48But, again, it would be nice if everyone was made aware and kind of making sure everyone's aware of it.
00:15:55I still think people would want to do it. I don't think, personally, my mindset would be, I came in of football when I was playing and I knew there was risks attached.
00:16:05The problem is, I don't think the generation before maybe knew, so they should know, but certainly being aware of it, maybe helping, catching it early, things to prevent it.
00:16:17I know the concussion protocol has changed to try and be a bit more vigorous to kind of help minimise the damage rather than doubling down, which a lot of players would do, oh, I'm fine, I can play.
00:16:30So it's important we try and certainly, when players are active, do everything we can to be, like, making it as safe as possible for them.
00:16:39But certainly after they retirees, they can't be forgotten about and giving them the best help and the best care if it's maybe providing some sort of private health to maybe get them scans earlier if they think something's wrong.
00:16:53Because there's no doubt about it, dementia, Alzheimer's, they're very difficult for the person involved and family members to cope with and deal with.
00:17:02And last point on this, Stephen, and this is where the problem that Fraser Wisher, as Chief Executive of the PFA, has highlighted.
00:17:10It's fine if you're in the English Premier League where there is absolutely thousands upon thousands of money there and a stronger safety net and an ability to try and help people and their families.
00:17:21Up here, it's very difficult.
00:17:22Even down south is a bit of control for us, isn't it?
00:17:24I mean, Chris Sutton, one of you guys, has been battering the PFA down south.
00:17:28Because they are rolling in money.
00:17:29I don't really know that they've been coming forward to help families and players.
00:17:32And that's the issue.
00:17:34Football is as wealthier than it's ever been as a sport.
00:17:37What is it doing to make some provision for the families who are struggling to cope with players who were damaged from hitting the ball too often?
00:17:46There's a big myth about this as well, and it was exposed by the field study at University of Glasgow, that it's because of the heavy balls.
00:17:52Well, actually, that's not proven.
00:17:54It might just as much be the fact the speed of the modern ball as the heaviness of it.
00:17:59It's just as damaging.
00:18:00And that's got to be concerning as well.
00:18:02Absolutely.
00:18:03I would have said, as Stephen's talking there, in my era, there was no building up for the back.
00:18:10As soon as I picked up the ball, you launched it.
00:18:12So the only two people who were going ahead and on the ball was the centre-half and the centre-forward.
00:18:16Yeah.
00:18:16So I would think they're more likely than anybody else.
00:18:19Has it been correlated?
00:18:20Before my era, before my era.
00:18:22But as Stephen says, you've got to have somebody to put forward a kill.
00:18:24Do we know if that's been done, looking at midfielders, say, avoiding it?
00:18:29Well, the other thing that's a good point is...
00:18:30It's interesting to know that as a...
00:18:32I don't know if we've actually got to a situation where they've actually looked at the broad spectrum of people who have contracted dementia or Alzheimer's and then started to break it down into where you play.
00:18:42Because Billy McNeil, basically, he said in training, would be heading a ball.
00:18:47Somebody would be throwing it up for him and he'd just be heading it to try and get the distance and, of course, heading the ball properly.
00:18:54And that in training alone, you know...
00:18:56Well, Scotland's led the way in this.
00:18:57I mean, it's not just the University of Glasgow.
00:18:59The SFA, 2022, I was over in Qatar, the World Cup one day.
00:19:02SFA announced it.
00:19:03It was the day before training and the day before a game and the day after a game.
00:19:07You don't head the ball or something, Stephen.
00:19:09Yeah, there's something like that brought in, yeah.
00:19:11Yeah, and so, I mean, the Scottish football's kind of tried to lead the way on this.
00:19:16The problem is that it all takes money.
00:19:20And to get to the next stage where we start to identify where it's midfielders or centre-halves or centre-forwards,
00:19:25someone needs to fund the research.
00:19:27As I say, I think football has been a bit slow on coming forward.
00:19:30Yeah, OK, you can give us your thoughts on that.
00:19:33Let's get into the meat and bones of the weekend's Football Rangers one.
00:19:36And Celtic won.
00:19:38Wasn't a great game.
00:19:39Who was the star man on each side for you?
00:19:42Raskan for me for Rangers.
00:19:44For Celtic?
00:19:46Well, Ingles wasn't bad.
00:19:51Tricky, that, for Celtic, actually.
00:19:53I thought Raskan was definitely the best player on the pitch, yeah.
00:19:55Yeah, absolutely.
00:19:57Raskan and Balogun.
00:20:00Celtic, I mean, it's difficult sometimes because of the standards he sets.
00:20:03Sometimes it's difficult to look beyond McGregor because he makes the whole thing look so easy
00:20:07by coming back, building, taking it off somebody, giving them an angle.
00:20:11And he gets applauded so many times.
00:20:13But of all the players that were there, I mean, I think one of the papers gave Hatati an eight.
00:20:17Second half, he was good.
00:20:19Yeah.
00:20:20Vickers and McGregor tend to be pretty comfortable all the time.
00:20:24And I thought they were again yesterday.
00:20:28But I think, I thought Balogun was really good.
00:20:31He was solid a couple of times.
00:20:32He was tackling the first half with, Forrest was slipped in just when he got back.
00:20:37Some really good defending.
00:20:38But I think the game maybe lacked a spark that creates a star man.
00:20:44But it was still an entertaining enough game.
00:20:46There was a drama, obviously, before and then during the game, which obviously adds to stuff.
00:20:50But, you know, like I think with the league being over, I think it was always going to be a difficult one to contest.
00:20:58Yeah.
00:20:58I think from a Rangers perspective, these games, I think the Rangers fans will feel what might have been
00:21:04because they've got the best out of the fixtures against Celtic, even with the draw.
00:21:11But it just hasn't materialised for them this season.
00:21:13That's what the big pain is.
00:21:15Can't beat lesser sides.
00:21:16Yeah, you could see the hope in the game that they would win it.
00:21:19And taking anything that goes with that winning and carrying it on into next season.
00:21:24Because obviously now it never happened and the records are coming out.
00:21:28What is it?
00:21:28Seven games at home.
00:21:30They haven't won a game.
00:21:31It's a record.
00:21:32You know, things like that.
00:21:34Six games anyway.
00:21:35Things like that.
00:21:36Yeah, seven.
00:21:36But anyway, they haven't won six games anyway.
00:21:38Yeah.
00:21:38And these records start coming out.
00:21:40So it was important that they won it.
00:21:42I think from Rangers' point of view, in these games, I don't know how it is, but they've
00:21:47simply been able to deal with Callum McGregor.
00:21:51They've sussed it that he's not going to be influential in the games.
00:21:55We're going to do something that he's not going to win the game for Celtic.
00:21:59In the last three games, I thought they've done that.
00:22:00Yeah, well, the battle for me, which I love to see, I mean, Scott Brown was a master at
00:22:05it.
00:22:06Let's pick a fight.
00:22:07Raskan and McGregor were ding-dong with each other.
00:22:09It was great to watch.
00:22:10Yeah.
00:22:11I mean, I don't think there's any great secret to this.
00:22:12I think Rangers are well suited to games against Celtic in Europe when they can set traps,
00:22:19they can counter-attack, they can press high.
00:22:22The problem is when they come up against teams playing a low block, you know, when they're
00:22:25playing against 11 men, they're just not as good at breaking them down.
00:22:28So I think it just, I think it's as simple, and I think that's part of the problem for
00:22:32Barry Ferguson is that that hasn't really changed since they came in.
00:22:36They're still getting the same results against Celtic that they were under Clermont, latterly
00:22:40anyway, the same results they were in Europe.
00:22:43He just hasn't managed to break that pattern domestically in terms of going up against teams
00:22:47like Murrowell, against St. Martin, against, you know, Dundee United, and actually making
00:22:52it better and breaking them down.
00:22:53Yeah.
00:22:54Over and above that, you know, we're talking about the record, Barry still himself has
00:23:00to look at it and say, well, you know, he thinks it's better if Rangers make their move
00:23:05soon to appoint a manager.
00:23:07Barry himself still wants the job.
00:23:10I know I can do the job.
00:23:12You still don't get a chance of getting the job?
00:23:14Yeah, of course, but that's up to people above to decide.
00:23:20Look, since I've come in here, there's been a few bumps, but that does not scare me one
00:23:23single, but I know I've been in, I've been through the doors now.
00:23:26I know what's needed in terms of change.
00:23:31So we just need to wait and see.
00:23:32But as I said to you, it has to be a decision made quickly now, because we're coming to the
00:23:37end of the season, you need to obviously start deciding what way you want to go heading
00:23:44into next season, because this season's been dry in terms of trophies.
00:23:50This club needs to get back to challenging and winning trophies again.
00:23:55I think the general feeling across a broad spectrum of people is he hasn't got a catch
00:24:02chance in hell of getting it.
00:24:03Now, I think it's a wee bit unfair on the basis.
00:24:06It's not his side.
00:24:07I think they're a team of underachievers and a team that's just quite simply not good enough.
00:24:13Yeah, I think probably the players are the problem, rather than the manager who the manager
00:24:15is.
00:24:16I think Barry's conducted himself pretty well.
00:24:18I think he's spoken well.
00:24:19I think he's shown he takes responsibility seriously.
00:24:22He's been a good ambassador for the club, but I think they'll want to make a statement.
00:24:28I think they'll want to get a name.
00:24:31And listen, we don't know what's going on in the background.
00:24:33It would be naive to think they're not already looking at this subject.
00:24:36They're not talking to people.
00:24:37Be that Steven Gerrard or whoever, Sean Dyche, and I'm not just throwing those names out.
00:24:42They have no idea whether they are or not, but you'd like to think this takeover is not
00:24:46a new thing.
00:24:47You must have been speaking to people behind the scenes, although ultimately the decision you
00:24:51would think would have to be influenced by Kevin Fairwell, the new sporting director.
00:24:55I would have thought he's spot on, though, looking like Barry talking about wanting to
00:24:59get a decision done quickly.
00:25:00Because even for ourselves at Muddle, the manager coming in, he needed time to, especially
00:25:06when he was foreign, coming in, maybe not knowing the league, he needed to come in and
00:25:10find out who he can trust, who he thinks is a good player, who he needs to get rid of.
00:25:14That is hard to, so Barry is well-placed to know that.
00:25:17He'll know his squad.
00:25:19But obviously to bring someone else in, they need to try and catch that quickly, because
00:25:23before you know it, the season's started.
00:25:25And then is it another year?
00:25:26Are they going to wait another year?
00:25:27Which then, obviously, I dare say the fans aren't going to be happy with that.
00:25:30So it becomes a time-sensitive issue, and I really do think they need to try and appoint
00:25:36one quickly.
00:25:36Well, here's my take on it.
00:25:37I don't think there is a time-sensitive issue here.
00:25:40I think, quite simply, until there are new owners in the door, and then Kevin Thelwell
00:25:44says, OK, how much have we got?
00:25:46What type of manager can we recruit?
00:25:47And how much money is he going to have?
00:25:49And that will then allow me to sit down with a specific type of manager and say, listen,
00:25:54I want you on this fee, and this is what you're going to get to try and transform Rangers
00:25:59to take the title away from Celtic.
00:26:01And that, for me, is not suddenly Barry Ferguson calling it's time to quicken this up, because
00:26:07it doesn't happen that way, Ruffey.
00:26:08There's too many unknowns at the moment.
00:26:10Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
00:26:11The guys are perfectly right.
00:26:12We're waiting in a statement.
00:26:13We're waiting until it's all signed and sealed.
00:26:16We know it's going to cost a lot of money to take it over.
00:26:20Does that mean what's left?
00:26:22Does that mean what is left determines what kind of manager comes in or takes it?
00:26:27I think the Rangers supporters are just anticipation, just waiting to see.
00:26:30But Barry's right.
00:26:32I can't imagine what it must be like for him, wondering, wondering, is it going to be me?
00:26:36Is it not going to be me?
00:26:37So, from his point of view, I'm sure he'd want to have a decent sleep at night, knowing
00:26:41whether he's getting it or not.
00:26:42Yeah.
00:26:43Whether it's Barry Ferguson or someone else that we are waiting out of left field to get
00:26:47that job.
00:26:48So, there's a few players that we'll have to look at and say yay or nay.
00:26:52But, of course, he has actually, the man who's coming in, inherited a guy who's scored
00:26:57a bar load of goals and is still dividing the Rangers' support.
00:27:02Here's what Cyril Dessers had to say after his goal, his sixth touch of the ball yesterday.
00:27:08The other five touches weren't really in dangerous areas.
00:27:11The sixth one provided Rangers with the lead and he was quick to highlight his contribution
00:27:16over the last two seasons.
00:27:18I think if two years ago, the day I signed, you would tell the fans, this striker is going
00:27:25to score, I don't know, 47 goals in two seasons, I think everybody would have said,
00:27:31oh, yes, please.
00:27:33And I did it until now.
00:27:35Could have been more, probably yes.
00:27:37Could have been less, probably yes.
00:27:39So, I'm just trying to do my job.
00:27:41And it hurt me a lot in the beginning, but now I kind of move past that.
00:27:47Have you ever met a guy who's scored 47 goals in two seasons and the jury's still out?
00:27:53I think we'd take that.
00:27:5447 goals?
00:27:56I'd take two.
00:27:57No, look, I think he's certainly someone that at times you can see the fans get frustrated
00:28:05with him, but to have that return, you can't argue with it, it's fact.
00:28:11What's he like to play against?
00:28:12I thought he's difficult, he's strong, he's athletic.
00:28:16I think he maybe falls out to sometimes Rangers style, they maybe don't dominate the game,
00:28:21see as maybe a Celtic did, but you probably look at Celtic strikers, like Kyoko would have
00:28:25went through games where he wouldn't have touched it much when they're dominating a
00:28:27lot of the ball and he's kind of drifting in that offside channel.
00:28:30The problem is he'd be dead sharp and maybe easier on the eye, but I think he's, look,
00:28:36you can't argue he's returning.
00:28:37I think if the new owners come in, they'll be certainly seeing him as an asset and probably
00:28:41either one they're looking to sell, if the fans aren't happy and they maybe get that
00:28:44vibe or want to try and keep him tied down, because he's certainly an asset with that
00:28:48return, the likes of Raskin as well with the form he's been showing.
00:28:51Yeah, it's an unforgiving city, you know, in some cases I've heard this week, give Desser's
00:28:5657 chances and he'll eventually kill you.
00:28:59Listen, I would have him about the place, personally.
00:29:02I've always said this, I've always felt this.
00:29:04I don't know, you wouldn't want him as your main man starting every game, but I mean, 25
00:29:09goals a season alone, I mean, that's some dud for me.
00:29:14I mean, he can be a fury and he can drive you nuts.
00:29:17A bit like Ademida, actually, was kind of a tale of two strikers, just he wasn't.
00:29:21The jury was out, the two of them.
00:29:23If Ademida doesn't score that equaliser, then he would have got hammered again.
00:29:27He had a one-on-one.
00:29:28Yeah, the price tags are a boulder around our neck with these guys.
00:29:31Serial Dessers, was it 4.3 million?
00:29:34What money for Rangers to pay at that time?
00:29:36It's not Ida's fault that they paid 9 million for him either.
00:29:39I mean, that was a negotiating situation with Celtic where they didn't build a permanent
00:29:44deal into his own deal last season.
00:29:46So, I think these guys are victims of circumstance, they're price tags, and I think sometimes the
00:29:52criticism is a wee bit harsh.
00:29:53Yeah, criticism, as ever, always comes over the course of the season.
00:29:57You've been well used to it yourself, Stephen.
00:30:00With regards to these guys, when they come to an Old Firm game or they come to a Champions
00:30:04League game, suddenly everybody's got an opinion on them.
00:30:08Everybody then will, you know, are ruthless in the way they go about it.
00:30:11You know, people yesterday looking and saying, Taylor, no, scales, bomb scare, right-hand side,
00:30:17Ralston, back up but not good enough.
00:30:19Then you move to Ida and you go 9 million, you know, not lethal enough.
00:30:23And then the ultimate one, which everybody's debating, is 11 million at Engels, what does
00:30:28he do?
00:30:28You know, that's the type of thing that's the fallout from it.
00:30:31And Dessers comes into that category as well, Ruffey.
00:30:33Yeah, but as the guy said, these records there, 47 goals.
00:30:37No, you could side somebody for 15 million and maybe not get 47 goals in two years.
00:30:42I think it's just the way Rangers play, he gets chances, yeah.
00:30:46But, I mean, I just think if I shut my eyes and put them in a Celtic jersey, I think you'd
00:30:51probably score more.
00:30:52The way Celtic play with the wide, two wide wingers, balls flashing into the box, you know,
00:30:57I think that style of play would probably suit him better, but tell me a centre-forward
00:31:01that doesn't have his chances.
00:31:02You know, somebody was saying to me, I can't remember who it was, told me the other night
00:31:05that when he signed for Rangers, he was a journalist, I can't remember who it was, said that he
00:31:09phoned somebody in Italy, a well-known name in Italy, I said to him, tell me about serial
00:31:13Dessers, and he said, well, the thing with him is, it'll be a two-some weeks, it'll be
00:31:17a nine-hour weeks.
00:31:19It's just, there's very little in between the serial Dessers.
00:31:22Yeah, it's erratic.
00:31:22It's erratic, it's either there or it's there, there's no middle ground.
00:31:25Yeah.
00:31:25The thing is, if you're a six or a seven every week, Stephen, isn't it?
00:31:29100%, exactly.
00:31:30I think when you see, if he is like that, I don't obviously watch him week to week, but
00:31:35if he, what Ranger would think then, if that was, say, maybe if they'd heard similar, but
00:31:39if they can get that up to a five, you then go, this is a top player.
00:31:42Like, that's not a massive, and he's got the ability, he's got the finishing, it's just
00:31:45trying to string that together, and again, you're saying string that together, he's,
00:31:48he's, return's not bad for it.
00:31:51Yeah.
00:31:51One and two, how many?
00:31:52He always strikes as a brilliant guy, doesn't he?
00:31:53It doesn't take all this, it takes us stuff amazingly well.
00:31:56Yes, absolutely.
00:31:57He's not suited to Glasgow.
00:31:58And I think there is mitigating circumstances for an Ida or an Engels, and I've said it
00:32:04before, you know, whether you're Barry Ferguson, whether you're Brendan Rodgers, or any manager
00:32:08that comes in, you know, a Stuart Kettlewell or a Michael Vimmer, you have a responsibility
00:32:12first to win games. You look at your squad, you want to get players around you, and you
00:32:17want to try and make them better players. And Arma Engels, Adam Ida, young players, developing,
00:32:22I include in that Hamza Igamana, because I'm waiting to see if he's going to, you know,
00:32:28improve. He's only 22 years of age, so we've got to cut them some slack. The one thing that's
00:32:32certain out of the game, I mean, bragging rights are gone. It was a dead rubber for me.
00:32:38Celtic had won the league by a canter, and you don't really know if you'd had that real
00:32:43edge to it. And yesterday, at one point, I'm watching the game, amazingly, Ruffey, I was
00:32:49looking and thinking to myself, Maida, he looks off it, you know? And by the way, that's
00:32:54him slowing down to a hurricane. That's not usually the tornado. This is him...
00:32:58You'd say he'd phone 20,000 miles away.
00:33:00But the other thing about it is you're looking after, well, I'm just giving you my thoughts
00:33:05on what I'm watching, and I'm watching, he looks off it. And of course,
00:33:08this is what Brendan Rodgers had to say on it, as he opens the door to why he looks
00:33:14off it. We have to give him some leeway. He's been in Japan all week. He had his first training
00:33:19day with us yesterday. He flew expecting his wife to have their third child, and she didn't
00:33:24have it. So he had to come back and then go into a game here at Ibrox. Now, come on,
00:33:28Ruffey. I think it's fair to say at 20,000 miles. By the way, his Fitbit must have been
00:33:34delighted. It's the first time it hasn't burnt out.
00:33:36No. No, but again, you could see his face. He was disappointed with that chance at the
00:33:41end. You know, I just think he tried to be a wee bit flashed, trying to roll it round
00:33:46the keeper when there's two guys wide. But again, we're talking about what he's contributed
00:33:51this year, and just a wee mistake like that. You know, he's scored that many goals.
00:33:55I think it's harsh on some leeway.
00:33:58How long is the flight to Japan?
00:34:0120,000 miles.
00:34:02I'm stiff after two and a half hours on the bus.
00:34:05Brilliant. Now, obviously, from that point of view, yeah, I think Celtic fans will not
00:34:12be bothering about that game. He certainly, last night, was a happy man. He picked up his
00:34:17award for Player of the Year, and he obviously revealed to our reporter, Alison McConnell,
00:34:23that all his focus, as his teammates will be, is on the Scottish Cup final and the treble.
00:34:30It's not easy to get this award, so I'm really happy to receive this. So as a team, we have
00:34:37a chance to win the treble, so yeah, it's been great, and we will go everything for it. And
00:34:43individually, it's been a great season as well, and still we play three, four more games,
00:34:48so I'd like to do my best to contribute to the team's winning. Well, the team is doing
00:34:53well, and it's kind of like teams are making me to score. So first of all, we still have
00:35:00a cup final to play, and we need to win that first.
00:35:04So, there you are, Dyson Maeda, focus on the cup final. Okay, elsewhere, give us your thoughts
00:35:10on the Rangers game. Rangers fans, what did you make of it? Who do you think got passed
00:35:15Mark Schrave as a star man? Celtic fans, give us your thoughts. We struggle to actually name
00:35:20a star man. And of course, we will read out some of your thoughts regarding TIFOs and the
00:35:25conduct of some fans, which is quite clearly something that the police may well see there could
00:35:33be somebody who's broken the law, and they'll deal with it. But certainly, Rangers have taken
00:35:40a stance that they don't want to be associated with the conduct of people displaying a TIFO,
00:35:46which is inflammatory. Whether there's action to be taken by the SPFL as well, we'll wait
00:35:51to see. Other games, I was up there at Dens Park, Dundee 1, Motherwell 2. I know you're
00:35:58a little bit miffed. It's always a worry when you get a text from a footballer who's not happy
00:36:02with your line of questioning. But I did think it was a bit of a smashing grab from
00:36:09your boys, because suddenly you're down to 10 men and I thought, God, you're going to
00:36:13be up against it. But you actually started to play even better.
00:36:17No, look, I think when you go to 10 men, I'll allow a wee bit of a smashing grab. I felt
00:36:22in context of the game, in the first half, they scored two. They'd one chance, one and
00:36:27one, they should maybe score. But Mastinor Oxborough, who's been out for a while, came
00:36:32back in. And he's ridiculously hard to beat from one-on-one. So I kind of think one-on-ones,
00:36:37I'm like, it's not even a chance half the time with him, because he's that good. And then
00:36:41they do two for the outside the box, Portales. First one's a beautiful strike, but a ricochet
00:36:46before it. Second one's another ricochet. And I'm a bit more of a lucky strike with the
00:36:52offside, contentious offside. But I still think if somebody can affect you doing something,
00:36:58I think it does interfere with it. So that's my opinion on it. And then I thought in general
00:37:04play, we were pretty comfortable and had a number of chances. Simon Murray was a nuisance
00:37:09at times, but didn't really have any chances. I don't think there were many games you can
00:37:12say that about Simon Murray. And I thought we looked threatening at times. Can we be
00:37:16better? Yes. But look, I think when we got the equaliser and then obviously the red card,
00:37:23you then think, OK, we probably would have taken a draw. But for that second goal, for
00:37:27the jump, and by the way, I felt it was a red card. I was running about saying it wasn't
00:37:32at the time, but quite a good view of it. And it did look quite bad. So that's good with
00:37:36VAR. We need to praise it when it comes in and does the right call, even if it's against
00:37:40yourself. And then obviously the goal, JT's jump, the energy shown by even it was Dom Thompson
00:37:49in the wide area, to get there at that time in the game and put in a good ball and JT
00:37:54to out jump, I think it was at Robertson, was a great goal and a great moment to secure 41
00:38:03years in the league in what's been a pretty disappointing season. Not really been any
00:38:09consistency, which is disappointing. But look, we're in the league again next year, hopefully
00:38:13come back stronger, get some players in and see how we look.
00:38:18And at the end of the game, as ever, this is the one thing I like, you know, I like
00:38:22Steven, I like a good noise up. All the players were cheering and the mother of the players
00:38:25were all kind of cuddling each other. But Tony Watt is over to the Dundee fans, lifting
00:38:29his top, because they have been calling him a fat so-and-so for the entire game. So
00:38:35to his credit, he gave it to them, you know. And I thought, good on you, Tony. That's when
00:38:40you like a bit of banter.
00:38:41That's the spirit. I thought, I mean, that Clark Robertson thing was a big talking point,
00:38:45wasn't it? I mean, it's interesting. But a letter of the law, you're thinking, OK,
00:38:50the referee's got it right. But it's a real debate, isn't it? I mean, if he doesn't touch
00:38:54the ball, is he... Well, I disagree with Steven. I mean, that's the joy of it. I thought
00:39:00it was a goal. I thought it was a perfectly legitimate goal. Because at the end of the
00:39:03day, you might say that he's altered it, but I don't think he altered any challenge,
00:39:10came anywhere near enough to actually alter the way he was clearing it.
00:39:14He touched the ball back out again.
00:39:15I don't know if he did.
00:39:16No, he didn't, Ruffey.
00:39:17I think he did. I think he was in an offside position and he came forward.
00:39:20I thought he came forward. I thought it was affected more. If he touches it, if he touches
00:39:25it, he's offside. 100%. Yeah. I thought he did. No. That was the reason.
00:39:29My thought was, so, I know you're a good fives player, Peter, right? Maybe say sevens as well,
00:39:33right? Sevens involves a bigger pitch, no. If you're going one-on-one with the keeper and
00:39:39nobody's chasing you from behind, what are you doing? You're taking your time and you're
00:39:45slowing it home. Yeah. If somebody's coming from behind, you know they're there. They're
00:39:47coming. Are you right? Are you changing your thought process? No, but I...
00:39:52If you know he's there. No, but I...
00:39:53He isn't a fair enough player. So, I know he's... If I know he's there, I'm going to
00:39:57need to rush my clearance. If I don't know he's there now, we're giving our player the
00:40:01benefit that they knew. Yeah.
00:40:03Which they 100% did. Yeah.
00:40:04Unbelievable awareness with the head. You're going to... You'd take a touch?
00:40:08Yeah, but the referee's not saying, I am thinking on thought process. The referee is
00:40:14looking at the cold light of day and saying, has he had a... That's an effect on it.
00:40:17Has he had a material effect with the distance that he is?
00:40:20He's just answered that. Yeah, so I'm saying... No, no, I'm saying...
00:40:22You've changed my thought. You've... The person behind me or coming from an offside position
00:40:26has affected what I'm going to do. Yeah.
00:40:29And therefore, I think it's... Now, we can... When you talk about it, I get that the
00:40:33manager's disappointed because it's not a... It's obviously not a blatant one.
00:40:37Yeah.
00:40:37Yeah. But, again, we were up in Dundee a couple of months ago and we had a man down
00:40:42with a head knock and the game didn't get stopped. So, maybe the gods spin it round
00:40:47and another contentious one, albeit I'd say a head knock just stop and play regardless.
00:40:51So, there's going to be mistakes. VAR's going to make mistakes. I don't think that's one
00:40:55of them. But, again, that's the beauty of football and the beauty of VAR. It's continued
00:41:00debate. I thought it might have ended it, but we've still got plenty of talking points
00:41:04and that's the... That's the... That's the positive of Scottish football.
00:41:07Yeah. You say he was raging. Boy, he was raging. Here's Tony Daugherty.
00:41:13This game for spectators is all about entertainment and the entertainment comes from them watching
00:41:18their team scoring goals. And you've seen the reaction of the fans when Antonio scores
00:41:21his second goal there. And I just think it's a disgrace to have made that decision which
00:41:25affects the dynamic of the game. And, again, I will stress the point. I do not abdicate responsibility.
00:41:30Their second half performance, they came out the front foot. They had a lift from
00:41:33that decision. We went deep and we allowed them back into the game. They've been all
00:41:37matching a runner. And then at one each, when they get a player sent off, we go for it.
00:41:42You know, we take off a defender. We put on an attacker. We go 4-4-2. And we shouldn't
00:41:46lose that. You know, it's a ridiculous goal to lose the match on. And what could have been
00:41:51an important point, the way the results went today.
00:41:54The other thing about it, which I take your point, you're going back and you've highlighted
00:41:58something else that happened elsewhere. And probably every team, Stephen, and I hate
00:42:03and I don't buy into it, it evens itself out over the course of a season. But we're now
00:42:07getting down to that point where managers are saying, wait a minute, I could get the sack.
00:42:12A player loses his job because they've cut the budget.
00:42:15Context is everything there. I mean, if you look at it, Dindee, if they get 2-0 up, they've
00:42:20got a real good chance of winning the game. That gives them a bit of leeway between themselves
00:42:24and Ross County and then St Johnson. Look at it now. If St Johnson beat Ross County this
00:42:29weekend, they'd reduce the gap right between 11 and 12 to 3 points. Dindee are going to
00:42:33Kilmarnock, which is not an easy place to go at all. That could get really tight. So context
00:42:38is everything. You don't understand the frustration. I think it's probably exacerbated his reaction
00:42:42there. Yeah. Listen, it's a great, it's a good argument all the way on it. What's your
00:42:47take on it, Ruffy, then? Yeah, I thought he came in, I think, like Stephen, he came in
00:42:52and was active in the move that led to the goal. You know, and I'm thinking back to the
00:42:59Celtic game, why was Maida not interfering with play? Just when he was in the line of vision
00:43:06of the goal. That's what I thought at the time, when I first seen it, I thought he was
00:43:08just a wee bit wider, you know. He'd been a bit to the left, he would have been, yeah.
00:43:12Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Listen, it's one of those decisions. Give us your thoughts on it. Which
00:43:17camp are you in? Definitely shouldn't have been a goal, should have been a goal. He changed
00:43:20my mind, actually. Yeah. Stephen's changed my mind. I thought you were going one-on-one.
00:43:25Previously, I was very much, should have been a goal, actually. Listen to the pro speaking
00:43:29as opposed to yourself, Peter. Yeah. I think I've actually changed my mind. Yeah, absolutely.
00:43:34There hasn't been... Change your mind? No, not at all. I just think you're talking
00:43:37a lot of crap, but nevertheless. You've doubled down. I love it. I'm not. I love it. Listen,
00:43:42the last thing I'm going to do is a weak journalist being changed by your mind on it. I know, hold
00:43:47on. Not a chance of help. I thought it was a goal. In fact, I had already tweeted it was
00:43:52a goal, and then the referee put his hand up and had to quickly change back. I hadn't clocked
00:43:56it at all at the time. I was like, why is he checking this? Keep checking it. I know.
00:43:59And then, of course, you're... How's that kind of goal getting chopped off?
00:44:04It's an absolute belter. It's a belter of a goal. But, listen, just on a quick little
00:44:10point that I've mentioned to the boys we've talked about in the journals as well. I'd
00:44:14love to see... And it's nothing to do with the way that goal came about. I'd love to see
00:44:19Arsene Wenger's, you know, implement the... There's got to be clear daylight in offside
00:44:26to give us more goals. I mean, even... They're the goal for... Raskin's goal. Raskin's goal
00:44:31would have been onside. I want to see clear daylight so that we understand that this is
00:44:36an entertainment where we want people to come and enjoy goals. The problem is always going
00:44:41to be, though, where's that point? So, what, do you give one foot? Do you give half a
00:44:46foot? Who dictates an end? And then if you're half a foot... I'd rather say half a foot you're
00:44:52off. But there was a goal in Milan-Barcelona, wasn't there? Was it choked off by it? It
00:44:57was a toe player, wasn't it? That is the definition of what you're talking about. Funny enough,
00:45:02I thought Raskin yesterday, I think that's clear enough for me. No, I don't think that's...
00:45:06That's so harsh, that is not a clear enough. I know, but I mean, I thought that... To me,
00:45:09you're looking at it, you think, yeah, he's offside. Toe, I don't know. But that's exactly
00:45:13the point. But that's the point you're making, which is, where do you draw the line? Well, you draw the line quite simply.
00:45:18Like this, if there's not clear daylight between them, if a toe plays him on, he's on. Half a body,
00:45:23half a body. Clear daylight. That's what Arsene Wenger... A full body. Arsene Wenger is saying,
00:45:27if there's clear daylight, if somebody's toe suddenly plays him on, let's see more goals.
00:45:33I wouldn't have an issue with that. I wouldn't have an issue with that coming in,
00:45:37but what I would love to come in and see when somebody's offside, stick the flag up and stop
00:45:41the game. Because see the number of times you run back to your own goal. Yeah.
00:45:44And it's... The play can go on for a good wee bit, tackles flying in, because normally you're
00:45:49running back frustrated that the flag's not went up. I'd love that to come back, where it's like
00:45:54the ref gives... The linesmen have the courage to make the decision, knowing that if it was maybe
00:45:58marginally against them, the manager's not going to slot them. Because I think players would rather that.
00:46:04We don't have that technology in yet, Stephen, that they do down in England. That's another...
00:46:08We've got a pound landvar, that's a problem. We don't have the cameras to do it.
00:46:12Absolutely. Ross County won Hearts 3. Ann Budge, after Ross County had scored, was getting
00:46:18absolute dog's abuse, Ruffy. Once Hearts got their three goals, they were all talking about.
00:46:24Master stroke by Liam Fox. You know, he's now playing the number nine role. Shanklin's got two,
00:46:28and he's set up the third. Well, that's where we are, isn't it? You know,
00:46:32the supporters at some clubs are dictating, you know, what's to be done behind the scenes,
00:46:37and unfortunately, if you've not got a strong board to stand up and see them out. I mean,
00:46:42obviously, things have got to go your way for them to keep quiet, but that's the way it is at
00:46:47Hearts just now, that they've just turned on the people who have saved the club.
00:46:50Yeah. And there's talk of Derek McKinnis becoming one of the front runners for the Hearts job now.
00:46:55I think it's premature to say that just now. I'm sure he will be in their thinking. He absolutely
00:46:59will be in their thinking. But I think if you're Andrew McKinley, Chief Executive,
00:47:02you're Graham Jones, Technical Director, you know you've got to get this right. You know there's
00:47:06big pressure here. So I think the process will be exhaustive. I think they'll really take their
00:47:11time. Can't rush into it. Can't get this one wrong. The interesting thing is Jamestown Analytics
00:47:16will be involved again. Well, they were involved in Critchley, and it wasn't a great advent for that.
00:47:22So they, as well, have got to prove themselves a little bit this time.
00:47:26Does Jamestown Analytics, I don't know about the software, but does the software stop near Grange
00:47:32Mouth and Falkirk, or does it just blank that out completely?
00:47:35It won't test that, isn't it? Well, I mean, what it does do is, I mean, we live in every bubble where
00:47:40we say, okay, we see the manager of Falkirk, they should be the front runners. What that does is
00:47:46I want them to look far and wide. I want them to look across the world. And the question then would be,
00:47:51do they need somebody who knows the Scottish game? Do they need somebody who knows Scottish
00:47:55football? Probably. So they probably will come back to that little short list again. Probably
00:48:00will go back to McGlynn and McInnes and so on. But I would imagine they'll be a left field name or two in there.
00:48:04Yeah, they may be. The way things are going, you look at Aberdeen. Yeah.
00:48:08You look at Motherwell. Yep. You know, these foreign coaches seem to have their heads up and everybody else.
00:48:13We'll get to Jimmy Tillene in a moment, by the way. The tweet's coming. It's coming.
00:48:17St. Johnson, nil come on at two. Watson in an Armstrong. Watson, last year, picking up young
00:48:22player of the year. This year, he's at a difficult time. And Derek McInnes confirmed that Barry
00:48:28Wales will be heading out. Bobby, Bobby Wales.
00:48:31Bobby Wales, sorry. Barry's his great, great uncle. Bobby Wales will be leaving to go to Swansea.
00:48:38But I think Derek was putting across a positive message that he always felt as if they weren't
00:48:43really thinking about relegation. Well, you can say that now. Yeah.
00:48:49You can say that. He's bottled. I don't know. I don't know what you can say. Two weeks ago.
00:48:52Yeah. But no, I mean, listen, Motherwell, Kilmarnock have given themselves a bit of
00:48:57behaving space. They're coming down to that bottom three now. I mean, this weekend is going to be
00:49:01huge. We'll probably come on to this. I don't want to jump a gun, but St. Johnson, Ross County is a game of the weekend for me.
00:49:06Oh, absolutely it is. And Simo Valakari knows that they're in the last chance saloon.
00:49:14Before I go to the game, fight continues because the other results,
00:49:20they went, you know, that way that we still we still have a lifeline or how you call it. But it's
00:49:26getting more and more difficult and it's more likely our last chance next week now. Next week,
00:49:34we're going to play against our direct opponent. There's no other options if we want to
00:49:42keep pushing the last two matches that we need to win next week.
00:49:45So they've been readying them off for long enough. He's managed to get a trick out of them,
00:49:50just not enough, Steven. Yeah, no, look, we've played a couple of times,
00:49:53played them in the cup. They knocked us out. And I felt he has them playing a brand of football
00:49:58that's hard to play against, but maybe leaves them open sometimes for whether it's counters or picking
00:50:04up kind of the ball in dangerous areas. And yeah, it'll be certainly a tough one for them
00:50:09at the weekend. They do need to win. It's an interesting one if they stay with them,
00:50:15because he has got them playing a style. And this comes down to clubs and boards having the
00:50:21strength to keep a decision. If that's the route they wanted to go, then they need to keep trusting
00:50:25that route to try and get them back out of the championship. Or do they rip it up and go?
00:50:29I think they will, Steven. I think that's it. There's got music coming out. They're going to
00:50:33stand by it. It's a project. I mean, he's been linked this morning with HGLK Helsinki. Yeah.
00:50:37And the noises coming out. He's going to stay put. He's going to stick with us,
00:50:42get them back out of the championship again. And, you know, you talk about Neil Critchley and
00:50:46think he never looked a great fit for Hearts. I think Vallecari will be a reasonable long-term
00:50:52appointment for St Johnstone. I hope so anyway. Yeah, I like him. Yeah, I like him. I think he's,
00:50:57I think they've started to play a better brand of football than they did previously.
00:51:00Hibs 3, Dundee 1. It is actually not unusual to get a group of supporters who actually put out a
00:51:07TIFO, which is very positive. And here are the Hibs fans displaying that, nauseating as it must be
00:51:14to some people in the West. But this is them, Ruffy, basically showing their support for David Gray.
00:51:20He's turned things around. They stuck by him. And there was a huge TIFO to celebrate.
00:51:27What he's done. He's been absolutely magnificent. They got a 3-1 win over Dundee United.
00:51:33And, you know, all things are looking good for third for them now, Ruffy. When you consider
00:51:38where Aberdeen were, and now where Hibs find themselves favourites to finish third.
00:51:43Yeah, again, I think you have to give the people behind the scenes at Hibs a lot of credit for
00:51:48hanging on in there. He was obviously a legend at Cobb as a player. And getting the manager's
00:51:52job and seeing that right sticky. How many games was it they went without winning something
00:51:57with their team, 14? Yeah. You know, I would have thought other people in charge would have
00:52:01said, right, that's it. But this particular board or whoever makes the calls, whether it's
00:52:06Malky or whoever, you know, stuck by him. And now they're getting the rewards. And that
00:52:10might be a lesson to a lot of other clubs.
00:52:12So, yeah, let's not be giving them praise for sticking by them, Ruffy. It was because
00:52:15they were backs against the wall, because they'd been sacking managers well in Italy.
00:52:19It's the coolest thing after that St Murn game. They lost to St Murn. I remember there was
00:52:21a statement in a Monday kind of voter conference, St David Gray. And to be honest, we were sitting
00:52:26around, old journalists were sitting around that day waiting for the sacking announcement.
00:52:29Yeah. And you wonder if they'd had an alternative that day, whether they might have just gone
00:52:32for it. But, listen, it doesn't matter if it's by luck or by design. It's worked.
00:52:36Yeah. You see how you've got to try and we have to do this on a continual basis, Stephen.
00:52:41You have to analyse the person who's made the statement. And it's just a sneaky ex-Hibby
00:52:47who tried to spin that there. But we didn't fall for it.
00:52:51You've seen through it.
00:52:51Yeah. Exactly.
00:52:53It's a Hall of Fame.
00:52:54Yeah. We know it's a Hall of Fame, Hibby. In the end, Dundee United, I think maybe all
00:53:01the highs of what Jim Goodwin has achieved is being slightly, you know, criticised by some
00:53:08harsh United fans who are saying, wait a minute, we could be dropping to fifth here.
00:53:11But, yeah, look, I think for Dundee United, again, it's just sadly the poison chalice
00:53:17that is football.
00:53:18Yeah.
00:53:18Supporters will always want more. And whenever you see Dundee United getting promoted last
00:53:23season, I know Jim Goodwin had said finishing in the top six, I think he'd mentioned it.
00:53:27Yeah.
00:53:28Before he actually, which was a bold shout. But they went and done it. And I think it's been
00:53:33an incredible season. Regardless, if they lose the next three games, they've still had a very,
00:53:37very good season. And pretty harsh if they're criticising him. But touching on Hibs, I feel
00:53:46that he could have been up for the manager of the year. Sorry, I thought he, if they were to
00:53:50finish third, assuming you talk about if the season was finished, and I know you could say
00:53:53Rodgers could win a treble. But from where they were...
00:53:56In November.
00:53:57In November. It wasn't even...
00:53:58Bottom.
00:53:59Yeah. And now we played them and they were a good side. We played them at the start and
00:54:05they were a good side, but we bet them. And it continued, continued. And then I think we'd
00:54:11bet them, I can't remember now. And to stick with him whenever he's an inexperienced manager
00:54:16is fair play and to be where they are and to play exciting football, delighted for him.
00:54:23And hopefully it can be sometimes, there can be rough patches along the way, but if you
00:54:27buy into him, the club maybe got the feeling around the place that the players bought into
00:54:32him. And it's came good.
00:54:35Yeah. St Mirren won Aberdeen 0. You consider they could have been 12 points clear of Rangers
00:54:40to where they are now. I think there has to be some criticism here of Jimmy Tallinn roughly
00:54:45because it's... They're now a little bit erratic and they're still in the battle for third.
00:54:53But he came up against St Mirren Mandron, who's now got a Scottish granny somewhere. This
00:54:58is fantastic news.
00:55:00Really? Is that a fun best start?
00:55:01That's a consideration. Apparently his granny's Scottish. Ruffy, or she's driven through Paisley
00:55:08at some point. We're grasping at straws here, but yet again, Stephen Robinson comes up with
00:55:13a win.
00:55:13Yeah, it was Stephen in a couple of weeks ago and he still believed in the players and
00:55:18the results they were getting against the bigger sides. They've done it again at the
00:55:22weekend and who's to say they won't do it next week. So if you're in a team with that
00:55:28kind of momentum coming at the end of the season and you're winning games, it's a great
00:55:32place to be. It's a great dressing room. The training is magnificent. And guys like him
00:55:37coming up with goals at the end of the game. But I think Aberdeen are just showing again
00:55:41that inconsistency that they showed in the middle part, off the rails a wee bit. But
00:55:47I think the supporters will be more than happy with the Cup final.
00:55:49Yeah. If they win it, you'll be a legend.
00:55:52Well, if he finishes fourth or third, it wins the Cup. Aberdeen haven't won the Scottish
00:55:56Cup since 1990.
00:55:57Yeah.
00:55:57So that will influence how people went back in this season for Thelaine, I think.
00:56:02Who scored the winning penalty?
00:56:04Brian Orvin.
00:56:05Brilliant. That's the knowledge you need in this show, by the way. Congratulations to the
00:56:09Manager of the Year, John McGlynn. And of course, they managed to get it over the line. And
00:56:15then a good old pitch invasion without any trouble. The Falkert fans, certainly average age
00:56:20nine. Enjoyed it. It was fantastic to see. And John McGlynn was right to point out after
00:56:27the game what he inherited when he came into Falkert.
00:56:31So proud of everyone at the football club, my backroom staff, Paul Smith, everyone involved,
00:56:35the directors, the fans. We've turned this club around. This club was broken. It was on
00:56:41its knees, finishing fifth and sixth in League One before we came in. To get to second in the
00:56:48first season in the Scottish Cup semi-final, to be invincible and then to do this. It's
00:56:52incredible. I don't know. Maybe you guys can tell me when was the last time somebody went
00:56:58League One Champions and then to the Premiership. I don't know. I mean, obviously, I don't know
00:57:05about recent years, you know.
00:57:08Brilliant achievement. Great. I mean, they're great to watch, Stephen.
00:57:11No, definitely. I think we've the luxury of playing them the last two pre-seasons.
00:57:15It's just, it's not what you need. Pre-season, you're popping it everywhere, you're running
00:57:22about, the sun's out, the pitch. No, you can tell both times we played them, they're a
00:57:27good side. And delighted for them, I think, when they play that style. Obviously, the unbeaten
00:57:34season kind of comes in on the Brendan Rodgers. They've been obviously a big squad, big budget
00:57:38for the league. But to do it this season has been incredible and delighted for them. I know
00:57:43a few of the players and know that. I think they're in Ibiza just now, so hopefully they're
00:57:46enjoying it and come back and drink plenty so they can go down next season.
00:57:51By the way, Perry, it's not wrong, because do you remember that AGM? Remember the AGM
00:57:55that went viral?
00:57:56Yeah.
00:57:57It was the board, we're basically just getting up. You said it's the fans, effectively,
00:58:01as pretty much as it was. And I think at that point, I remember writing a story
00:58:04where it was only like one million a year at that point.
00:58:06Yeah, and I don't think Paul Hartley's allowed anywhere near the Falkirk area, by the way,
00:58:10because that youth policy now is reaping its rewards. And I hate to say this, but while
00:58:15Falkirk are coming up and thinking about players that they might want to buy, I think there
00:58:19are players on that Falkirk side that might want to be cherry-picked. I mean, every time
00:58:23I see Calvin Miller, I absolutely love the ball.
00:58:24But that's the amazing thing, is that I think Brendan's done it with the same team, the
00:58:27same group of players, isn't it?
00:58:28You know, I mean, normally these players get one-year contracts to change and they go up,
00:58:32they don't trust him, but they've trusted him, they've gone with him, given him a chance.
00:58:36Yeah. Just before we finish, guys, got to get your thoughts. Play-off, Partick Thistle,
00:58:40Air United, Ruffy, can you be in any way impartial in what you're about to say?
00:58:46I think it's going to be tough. I think nobody's done it for fourth to get up there all the
00:58:50way. It's going to be hard, I think. You're asking a lot of the players to play that many
00:58:54games in such a short time, so I think everything favours Livingston. But in this particular
00:59:00game, as we've shown in this Championship, anybody can beat anybody on any given day.
00:59:04Yeah. Partick Thistle have proved that in the last two games.
00:59:07Are you backing them?
00:59:08Yeah, yeah, let's hope they do it again.
00:59:10I'm going to back them, and we'll go all the way. A bit of life.
00:59:12Yeah, absolutely.
00:59:13I'll tell you what, say if you're Ross County, and indeed you're not going to fancy playing
00:59:16Livingston in a play-off final, are you?
00:59:17No.
00:59:18Not one bit.
00:59:19No, absolutely not. A wee mixture of a wee bit of some good football from them, a bit of
00:59:24experience at the back as well, and good old Davey's absolutely magnificent.
00:59:28He's done another great job as well.
00:59:29Yeah, absolutely has.
00:59:30The changes they've had, and it's not, you take your hat off them.
00:59:33Yeah, absolutely. If you're in control of the control in your house, and you are watching
00:59:39football this week, you've got playoffs, then you've got the ultimate game for me is Inter
00:59:43Milan-Barcelona, the return leg, which is going to be sensational.
00:59:48It's got a lot to live up to, isn't it? What a game that was. That was ridiculous.
00:59:51That's the best game of the season for me.
00:59:53Oh, no question.
00:59:53Yeah.
00:59:54The goals were ridiculous. I loved how the summer touched it. One of the best. You've
01:00:00probably done that a lot, didn't you?
01:00:01Yeah.
01:00:02Touch on the post off your head, that big head.
01:00:04Yeah, absolutely. Sometimes, as I looked at the boy Rafinha hitting the ball, the only
01:00:11thing that was going through my head was Ruffy saying, as a goalkeeper, there are some shots
01:00:17that you just don't bother diving for, because they're that good. And I think that sums it
01:00:22up perfectly. Just one little footnote to it all, and I've got to say this, because you
01:00:26know what it's like. You can go through your career, you're desperately hoping you can get
01:00:29some sort of silverware. Harry Kane wins the Bundesliga, and he gets a chance just to have
01:00:35a wee celebration beer towards some of the Arsenal fans who have been giving him belters.
01:00:38And a lot of the pundits as well still go on about it, and not great. He's obviously
01:00:42a top player, and to go over there and to not win it in the first season when they've
01:00:46won it so much. But for him, the curse is off, so maybe Tottenham can do it as well now
01:00:52that it's off for Kane.
01:00:53Yeah, absolutely. How many years have you been at my goal?
01:00:56Six.
01:00:57Six. Another force to go, Ruffy.
01:00:59Maybe you might get the after-dinner gig. I'm certainly getting the hosting of it
01:01:02for the testimonial. It's a Stonewall certainty.
01:01:05Well, that's a great scene.
01:01:06Yeah, absolutely.
01:01:07Will you be about then?
01:01:10That's the line.
01:01:11That's me and you.
01:01:13That's the line.
01:01:14Ruffy's looking brilliant.
01:01:15Yeah, he does look great, doesn't he?
01:01:16I've always loved a drink.
01:01:17Yeah, exactly. Thanks very much to Stephen O'Donnell, Alan Ruff and Stephen McGowan.
01:01:23Absolutely brilliant to have them on the show. Thank you to you for all your comments.
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