mfc88

I think that is the basic plan for across all 4 leagues, yes. And you're right - frankly its buttons. The prize money deduction thing is additional for the premiership only, as far as i'm aware. Yeah i think it needs voted in by the clubs but not 100% sure. Disclaimer to eveything i'm saying is that I have only read a couple articles on this 😂

I dont know how much you've read into it, but thats how it seems. Though not a fine as such, rather a reduction of final prize money by 10%, and that be redistributed among those that do comply. Google tells me premiership prize pot is 34M, so 10% of that is up for grabs. If half the teams don't comply you are looking at around 3.4M split between the 6 teams who do. Obviously which clubs comply/ don't comply will alter that sum, but ballpark... doesnt sound to shabby especially for any teams who are close to the criteria as it stands. You can also argue that it reduces the temptation to pack out the bench with journeymen if you are using a few academy graduates there. IMO theres a logic to it, but can totally understand the scepticism around it. Having said that i think the clubs have to vote it in? So an obvious plot hole there.

I think that is the intent of the initiative though. Instead of a promising 17 year old heading down south to play academy football there, they are instead offered a first team wage and the carrot of a place in the match day squad with the guarantee of time on the park ahead of a journeyman who is probably sitting on the bench on a higher salary. Obviously some will still opt for the £££, but you'd like to think it will help in some cases. I am speculating of course, nobody knows how it plays out in reality and whether this is any sort of answer... but it is pretty alarming to hear how far down our country is in terms of giving game time to academy players.

I know there was a meeting friday, didn't realise there was pushback from clubs already. That podcast is as far as i've listened and it all seemed fairly positive. I can understand the pushback from certain angles. But theres valid points made about players brought in from down south or abroad no better than our own youngsters taking up a place in the squad. I'm sure we could point to many of our own examples there. The cup game thing i'd struggle to agree with to be fair (2x U21 players to start each cup game).

There is an episode on the bbc scottish football podcast on this topic called "Why change is needed now to maximise the potential of Scotland's footballing talent". Think its just the sportsound pre-match radio from saturday cut down. Its a decent listen if interested. Basically incentivising clubs to play academy players in the league and mandating it in the cups. Whether is comes to anything is another matter. IMO the mandating of it in the cups seems OTT, but overall the arguments put forward for the initiative make total sense.

Lowry for me. Great finish and looking more comfortable in our team every week.

Fair enough, of the solutions put forward, on paper it seems the best. Emphasis on "on paper". A bit disappointing as the email has a vibe of "options limited, meets requirements, stop moaning". While i've no doubt a lot of the moans are just that, there is certainly valid concerns, which i hope isn't lost on the board. Personally i am fine, getting in and out is an inconvenience i can grudgingly live with. However i am farily slim build and still relatively young... however, week on week i see others struggling, to the point where everyone around them is on high alert, offering a hand, etc. Meets requirements or not, that is not on. I'd urge Brian Caldwell to trial 3 consecutive games in the busiest section of that stand and see how he feels then. Really not much to ask IMO.

Disappointing to lose a goal at the death as 2-1 sounds much better than 3. But they were a quality opposition, streetwise and miles ahead of even rangers or celtic. So we can be proud to give them a fright early on and that it took a soft penalty and red card to break us down. Moorman has been excellent but that was daft. I even thought at the time the striker overran it - needless to say so did he and took the opportunity to go down easy. Also, not sure which one of their players was reffing the game but he was f**king shite. I thought the WC set the tone for not awarding fouls for minor contact and diving but obviously not 🤷‍♂️

Said has made this vote easy, but could pick 7 or 8 tonight. Lukas covered every blade of grass and moorman is a real find. Best performances in a well shirt from JGR and lowry also. Shout out to olly whyte as well btw - solid when he came on.

That would have likely pissed people off, but definitely feels like the most sensible solution. Even just accepting a reduced capacity stadium (by what... 2k?) for all euro ties this season, take a year to map out options and engage with fans to implement a fit for purpose solution. We wouldnt be losing out on that much gate receipts surely? Very much has the feel of a panic/ rushed job which tbf is uncharacteristic of the board recently.

Cheers mate, I'm sure i will - win, lose or draw!!! Especially if its a win 😂 but being realistic, would love to have the tie alive for the home leg - would certainly take a draw and an electric fir park on the 13th 👍

Great post mate, but just wanted to touch on this point from a different perspective. Said I think is a tremendous talent and technically one of the most skillful players i've seen at FP. His close control is unreal. I know what you mean about some decision making and simple things not quite working at times, but personally i'd rather watch him week in week out than not. If AJ can help with these small things we'll have one hell of player there and he's still relatively young is he not - 23 or 24? As an aside, was speaking to a hibs supporter at my work who said he thought RCC caused them a lot of problems which was interesting to hear. Maybe we don't give him the credit he's due or have higher expectations given his experience/ past with ross county in the league. Onwards to Helsinki! Buzzing as it will be my first away euro trip with the well after regrettably missing euro adventures in the past for various reasons. COYW

That is a very good point - reading the uefa requirements back, that is exactly how it reads... I really hope that was clarified before going ahead.

The uefa guidelines are published here: https://documents.uefa.com/r/PxVtjcYr9Ntgwd0wYgq2xw/VwP_y6GYxRLIkBHXeSU3uQ Skip to article 18 for the seating criteria. For stadium category's 2-4 the 30 cm backrest thing is a requirement. Stadium category 1 is not sufficient for certain stages of the competition, so brian is not just saying what he has to to appease fans. I agree that it is a downgrade, and its solving 1 problem while creating 2 or 3 more. Frankly, its a bullshit requirement. Will take it as gospel that there was no other seating options, but it feels as though shifting most of the pod stand to the south stand for euro ties would have been a better option. Personally i can deal with the uncomfyness, but getting in and out is a mission. Here to stay though - only 90 mins every couple weeks 🫠

Pretty much the youth team from about 50/60 mins. FWIW thought the young lads gave a decent enough account of themselves. Plenty energy but a few errors costly, got up the park a few times but outmuscled in the final third. Thought #34 at centre half looked fairly confident in our style of play.

#29 and 36 as well maybe, i cant keep up 😂

3 nil now 🙈 Quite a few young lads on the park now though so much less experience... most notably for the 2 centre halfs. Not sure of names but numbers 34, 28, 35, 30

2 nil, misplaced pass from watt on edge of box intercepted

Olly white is on... for fadinger maybe?

Above post sums it up nicely 😃 nothing much else to note tbh. We've not looked particularly sharp so far, slow start but came into it a bit more as the half went on. Standout has been their left winger. Mikey booth came on for stama (didn't notice till after it happened, so dont know what the reason was).

I've got it on the ppv. Looks like a starting 433 of: Connelly, jonny k, sparrow, sod, mcghee, fadi, priestman, watt, ross, RCC and stama 1-0 down about 10 mins played

The way I look at that point is he's got to where he has despite not having the fame or influence of playing at a high level plus the doubters that come with that. Not many do that, so he surely has something about him. Welcome to Fir Park 🙌

I can't see past Hanley over Welsh tbh... Welsh is continually overlooked for some reason. Agree re Miller - the midfield is our best area, suspect he needed a stronger last half season to be included.

Fantastic performance from both the players and fans. More than worthy of that win, probably should have been more comfortable. Thoroughly enjoyed that 🙌 Stand up and sing....

Yeah can't disagree with that (although i'm not fine with it 😂). Its just... how? I appreciate i/ we will always be biased towards our team. But that put to one side, the national reaction to it, including down in england, is not like anything we've had up here for as long as i can remember and the overwhelming majority are saying it was wildly wrong. How can anyone have the brass neck to come out now and say it was right? Especially one who is in charge of a group of referees, none of which are selected for representing at a higher level. It's going to be an awful look.