clydebank celt
05-05-2008, 02:13:15 AM
Trophies and status could pave the way to the Palace for Smith
<table style="padding-bottom: 5px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="artByline">DARRYL BROADFOOT (darryl.broadfoot@theherald.co.uk)</td><td class="artDate" style="text-align: right; padding-right: 2px;">May 05 2008</td></tr></tbody></table> <script> var menuStart = "<table width=310 border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td bgcolor=#BA0304>"; var menuMid1 = ""; var menuMid2 = "("; var menuEnd = ")</td></tr></table>"; var doc, sty; var n4 = false; var n6 = false; var ie = false; var activeMenu = ""; if (document.layers) { doc = "document."; sty = ""; n4 = true; } else if (document.all) { doc = "document.all."; sty = ".style"; ie = true; } else if (document.getElementById) { doc = "document.getElementById('"; sty = "').style"; n6 = true; } function showhideMenu(elem,state) { // generic function for showing/hiding layers using a cross-browser DOM docObj = eval (doc + elem + sty); docObj.visibility = state; } function closeAllMenus() { // checks for any active menus and closes them if (activeMenu != "") { showhideMenu(activeMenu, "hidden"); activeMenu = ""; document.onclick = null; } } function handleMenuClick(theMenu) { // opens the clicked menu and closes all others closeAllMenus(); showhideMenu(theMenu, "visible"); activeMenu = theMenu; } function menuOut() { // sets the default mouse button click to close all open menus if (activeMenu != "") { document.onclick = closeAllMenus; } } function menuIn() { // sets the default mouse button click to have no javascript action document.onclick = null; } function doAddFavourites() { // bookmarking function for browsers which support it if (window && window.external) { window.external.addFavorite("http://www.theherald.co.uk/", "The Herald"); } else { alert ("Sorry, your browser doesn't support automatic bookmarking.\nPlease add this bookmark manually."); } } function setHeadlines (theSection, theFirstHeadline) { var theDiv = theSection + "MenuMaster"; var theEnd = false; var headlinesPerPage = 20; var totalPages = Math.ceil(eval(theSection + "IdArray").length / headlinesPerPage); var thisPage = Math.floor(theFirstHeadline / headlinesPerPage) + 1; myLastHeadline = 0; if ((theFirstHeadline + headlinesPerPage) >= eval(theSection + "IdArray").length) { myLastHeadline = eval(theSection + "IdArray").length; theEnd = true; } else { myLastHeadline = theFirstHeadline + headlinesPerPage; theEnd = false; } myString = ""; for (x=theFirstHeadline; x<myLastHeadline; x++) { myString += "" + eval(theSection + 'HeadlinesArray[x]') + " (http://www.monthehoops.co.uk/display.var." + eval(theSection +)
"; // myString += "" + eval(theSection + 'HeadlinesArray[x]') + " (http://www.monthehoops.co.uk/" + theSection + "/display.var." + eval(theSection +)
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<img src=/_images/menuFgdots.gif width=260 height=5>
"; if (eval(theSection + 'IdArray.length') > headlinesPerPage) myString += "MORE HEADLINES... (http://www.monthehoops.co.uk/#)"; else myString += " "; myString += " <img src=/_images/menuFgdotsVert.gif width=7 height=15 hspace=15> [page " + thisPage + " of " + totalPages + "] "; if(document.layers) { //Netscape 4 code theDiv = document.layers[theDiv]; theDiv.document.open(); theDiv.document.write(myString); theDiv.document.close(); } if(document.all) { //Internet Explorer code theDiv = document.all[theDiv]; theDiv.innerHTML = myString; } if(!document.all && document.getElementById) { //Netscape 6 code theDiv = document.getElementById(theDiv); theDiv.innerHTML = myString; } } </script> <script>setHeadlines('news',0); setHeadlines('related',0);</script> Perhaps the Scottish Government should intervene, possibly by way of a referendum, to decide whether Walter Smith should be knighted or indicted for the remarkable feat of endurance that has squeezed Rangers into the UEFA Cup final.
The Rangers manager has created a predictably polarised debate on the admittedly unsightly philosophy that has afforded him the most satisfying moment of a long and distinguished career. The question is: should Smith be recognised for services to Scottish football or services to the dark art of defending?
The man himself will care not a jot about the aesthetic quality of Rangers' absorbing sequence of success against technical superiors. Indeed, during an in-depth retrospective the morning after the momentous night before, Smith even intimated a wish that he had indulged his pragmatic side years ago, during an era when Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup were regularly squeezed out by supposed inferiors.
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Smith's strategy has elicited a scornful response from a group of observers who, so dismayed by Rangers' principles of labour and industry, have taken it upon themselves to defend the honour of the beautiful game by belittling the achievement. Presumably, they are the same people who were content with beautiful failure during the early to mid 1990s when Smith was stock-piling championships at the expense of Tommy Burns' flair-filled Celtic.
Even by the crass, cringeworthy standards of West of Scotland myopia, it is a flimsy argument that displays a lack of class and magnanimity. It is, of course, payback for Seville: an unforgettable journey undertaken by Martin O'Neill in 2003. Then, the UEFA Cup was derided as a diddy tournament by envious Rangers fans, presumably the same ones who are now falling over themselves for tickets for Eastlands and revelling in the Watenaccio.
Intense rivalry makes the Old Firm unique. Intense loathing and religious intolerance makes them a national embarrassment.
For example: the 2200 fans inside the Artemio Franchi stadium were impeccably behaved yet spoiled a magical trip to Florence with a drink-fuelled chorus of Why Don't You Go Home - a reference to the Irish famine - at 3am as the players and backroom team attempted to board the charter home.
Smith, and by extension his collection of thoroughbreds, deserve unreserved praise for an 19-game European adventure that will end on May 14, at the City of Manchester Stadium, against Zenit St Petersburg.
Second time around, he has spent a hardly extravagant £12m assembling a squad capable of providing the club with their first European silverware since the Cup-winners' Cup triumph of 1972. It should not be forgotten that Dick Advocaat, with whom Rangers will be reunited in Manchester, spent the same amount on Tore Andre Flo, the man who was intended to complete the Dutchman's elaborate canvas.
Should Rangers again prevail with their defiant style, it would add legitimacy to the lobbyists who believe Smith should be honoured for his efforts since the OBE bestowed at the height of nine in a row. While Buck House are at it, perhaps in the interests of balance they should respond to the revived clamour to award a posthumous knighthood to Jock Stein for his historic European Cup achievement in 1967.
Stein was deprived for the unedifying scenes during the Intercontinental Club Cup replay against Racing Club, of Argentina, in Montevideo. If the pioneer of European success deserves posthumous distinction, then so does a man who voluntarily left the semi-retirement of the Scotland's national coach job, overhauled his entire philosophy to rebuild Rangers and is poised for the defining moment of a success laden career.
In trophy terms, his record of achievement is superior to Sir Bobby Robson. In ambassadorial terms, Smith cuts just an impressive and respectful a figure as Sir Trevor Brooking. The only accolades Smith will concern himself with between now and the end of the season are the UEFA Cup, Scottish Cup and Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Successful completion of Rangers remaining ambitions and then he can start practicing for the investiture stool.
what a load of dung!....:der::der::der::der:
<table style="padding-bottom: 5px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="artByline">DARRYL BROADFOOT (darryl.broadfoot@theherald.co.uk)</td><td class="artDate" style="text-align: right; padding-right: 2px;">May 05 2008</td></tr></tbody></table> <script> var menuStart = "<table width=310 border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td bgcolor=#BA0304>"; var menuMid1 = ""; var menuMid2 = "("; var menuEnd = ")</td></tr></table>"; var doc, sty; var n4 = false; var n6 = false; var ie = false; var activeMenu = ""; if (document.layers) { doc = "document."; sty = ""; n4 = true; } else if (document.all) { doc = "document.all."; sty = ".style"; ie = true; } else if (document.getElementById) { doc = "document.getElementById('"; sty = "').style"; n6 = true; } function showhideMenu(elem,state) { // generic function for showing/hiding layers using a cross-browser DOM docObj = eval (doc + elem + sty); docObj.visibility = state; } function closeAllMenus() { // checks for any active menus and closes them if (activeMenu != "") { showhideMenu(activeMenu, "hidden"); activeMenu = ""; document.onclick = null; } } function handleMenuClick(theMenu) { // opens the clicked menu and closes all others closeAllMenus(); showhideMenu(theMenu, "visible"); activeMenu = theMenu; } function menuOut() { // sets the default mouse button click to close all open menus if (activeMenu != "") { document.onclick = closeAllMenus; } } function menuIn() { // sets the default mouse button click to have no javascript action document.onclick = null; } function doAddFavourites() { // bookmarking function for browsers which support it if (window && window.external) { window.external.addFavorite("http://www.theherald.co.uk/", "The Herald"); } else { alert ("Sorry, your browser doesn't support automatic bookmarking.\nPlease add this bookmark manually."); } } function setHeadlines (theSection, theFirstHeadline) { var theDiv = theSection + "MenuMaster"; var theEnd = false; var headlinesPerPage = 20; var totalPages = Math.ceil(eval(theSection + "IdArray").length / headlinesPerPage); var thisPage = Math.floor(theFirstHeadline / headlinesPerPage) + 1; myLastHeadline = 0; if ((theFirstHeadline + headlinesPerPage) >= eval(theSection + "IdArray").length) { myLastHeadline = eval(theSection + "IdArray").length; theEnd = true; } else { myLastHeadline = theFirstHeadline + headlinesPerPage; theEnd = false; } myString = ""; for (x=theFirstHeadline; x<myLastHeadline; x++) { myString += "" + eval(theSection + 'HeadlinesArray[x]') + " (http://www.monthehoops.co.uk/display.var." + eval(theSection +)
"; // myString += "" + eval(theSection + 'HeadlinesArray[x]') + " (http://www.monthehoops.co.uk/" + theSection + "/display.var." + eval(theSection +)
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"; if (eval(theSection + 'IdArray.length') > headlinesPerPage) myString += "MORE HEADLINES... (http://www.monthehoops.co.uk/#)"; else myString += " "; myString += " <img src=/_images/menuFgdotsVert.gif width=7 height=15 hspace=15> [page " + thisPage + " of " + totalPages + "] "; if(document.layers) { //Netscape 4 code theDiv = document.layers[theDiv]; theDiv.document.open(); theDiv.document.write(myString); theDiv.document.close(); } if(document.all) { //Internet Explorer code theDiv = document.all[theDiv]; theDiv.innerHTML = myString; } if(!document.all && document.getElementById) { //Netscape 6 code theDiv = document.getElementById(theDiv); theDiv.innerHTML = myString; } } </script> <script>setHeadlines('news',0); setHeadlines('related',0);</script> Perhaps the Scottish Government should intervene, possibly by way of a referendum, to decide whether Walter Smith should be knighted or indicted for the remarkable feat of endurance that has squeezed Rangers into the UEFA Cup final.
The Rangers manager has created a predictably polarised debate on the admittedly unsightly philosophy that has afforded him the most satisfying moment of a long and distinguished career. The question is: should Smith be recognised for services to Scottish football or services to the dark art of defending?
The man himself will care not a jot about the aesthetic quality of Rangers' absorbing sequence of success against technical superiors. Indeed, during an in-depth retrospective the morning after the momentous night before, Smith even intimated a wish that he had indulged his pragmatic side years ago, during an era when Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup were regularly squeezed out by supposed inferiors.
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Smith's strategy has elicited a scornful response from a group of observers who, so dismayed by Rangers' principles of labour and industry, have taken it upon themselves to defend the honour of the beautiful game by belittling the achievement. Presumably, they are the same people who were content with beautiful failure during the early to mid 1990s when Smith was stock-piling championships at the expense of Tommy Burns' flair-filled Celtic.
Even by the crass, cringeworthy standards of West of Scotland myopia, it is a flimsy argument that displays a lack of class and magnanimity. It is, of course, payback for Seville: an unforgettable journey undertaken by Martin O'Neill in 2003. Then, the UEFA Cup was derided as a diddy tournament by envious Rangers fans, presumably the same ones who are now falling over themselves for tickets for Eastlands and revelling in the Watenaccio.
Intense rivalry makes the Old Firm unique. Intense loathing and religious intolerance makes them a national embarrassment.
For example: the 2200 fans inside the Artemio Franchi stadium were impeccably behaved yet spoiled a magical trip to Florence with a drink-fuelled chorus of Why Don't You Go Home - a reference to the Irish famine - at 3am as the players and backroom team attempted to board the charter home.
Smith, and by extension his collection of thoroughbreds, deserve unreserved praise for an 19-game European adventure that will end on May 14, at the City of Manchester Stadium, against Zenit St Petersburg.
Second time around, he has spent a hardly extravagant £12m assembling a squad capable of providing the club with their first European silverware since the Cup-winners' Cup triumph of 1972. It should not be forgotten that Dick Advocaat, with whom Rangers will be reunited in Manchester, spent the same amount on Tore Andre Flo, the man who was intended to complete the Dutchman's elaborate canvas.
Should Rangers again prevail with their defiant style, it would add legitimacy to the lobbyists who believe Smith should be honoured for his efforts since the OBE bestowed at the height of nine in a row. While Buck House are at it, perhaps in the interests of balance they should respond to the revived clamour to award a posthumous knighthood to Jock Stein for his historic European Cup achievement in 1967.
Stein was deprived for the unedifying scenes during the Intercontinental Club Cup replay against Racing Club, of Argentina, in Montevideo. If the pioneer of European success deserves posthumous distinction, then so does a man who voluntarily left the semi-retirement of the Scotland's national coach job, overhauled his entire philosophy to rebuild Rangers and is poised for the defining moment of a success laden career.
In trophy terms, his record of achievement is superior to Sir Bobby Robson. In ambassadorial terms, Smith cuts just an impressive and respectful a figure as Sir Trevor Brooking. The only accolades Smith will concern himself with between now and the end of the season are the UEFA Cup, Scottish Cup and Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Successful completion of Rangers remaining ambitions and then he can start practicing for the investiture stool.
what a load of dung!....:der::der::der::der: