HUNTIGOWK, the ancient Caledonian celebration of April Fool was slightly late this year - but, at least we ken whaur the gowks are: as ever along the executive corridor at Hampden.
Thanks to Craig Whyte's wanton mis-management the Murray Management which had bent the SPL's rules to an extent never seen outwith the Kama Sutra is no more. That Rangers is deid, gone, history.
Therefore, the SPL Tribunal, complete with M'Lud Nimmo Smith and various learned QCs was nothing more than a window-dressing exercise. As I have said previously on this blog, if the SPL really wanted their fine paid, or their costs met, then they ought to have gone after Sir David Murray and the Rangers directors who were in situ when the registration rules-bending was being done.
Going after Charlie Green and Co - the continuing (Sevco) Rangers - who had no connection with the deid Murray/Whyte Rangers was always a non-starter.
As I have, again, said on here before, the SPL, if they really wanted Rangers to pay for the Murray mismanagement, should have simply kept them within their jurisdiction, inside the tent. Green's Rangers have never been members of the SPL, and we have Green's assurance, they never will be whilst any of the present management are still in charge. So, the SPL can whistle for their money.
Of course Green has proved himself a canny, slippery even, customer; he has picked-up those elements of the Rangers identity which can make him money and given a body swerve to those bits which could prove costly. Fifty-four titles etc - yes please; pay the oldco's costs - no thank you.
You cannot blame him.
SAD to see wee Billy Reid stepping down as Hamilton Accies' manager. Until they got promoted into the SPL and had to adopt SPL management methods, the way wee Billy and the Accies management had worked-out a youth development programme which not only worked, it produced, was I thought a role-model for the rest of Scottish football.
Sadly, the system which produced the likes of James McArthur, James McCarthy, Brian Easton and so on was deemed unsuitable for the SPL - wrongly I think and now Accies are just another struggling Scottish club.
But, when Ronnie McDonald was running things in the boardroom and wee Billy was a loyal acolyte in the manager's office - being sent to cover a game at New Douglas Park was never less than a joy.
I DON'T often risk my hard-earned cash in a punt, but, on Tuesday night I simply had to have a wee bet on Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring for PSG against Barca. The big man delivered, as surely as did my other bet on the night - wee Lionel to score first.
I just love the way the big Swede, repeatedly written-off as: over-rated, over-priced and over-the-hill by the English media continues to do it on the biggest stage. He might not be as good as he thinks he is, but, he's still just about the best old-fashioned spearhead playing today.
And what about PSG's other golden oldie, the boy Beckham? OK, he didn't take the game by the scruff of the neck, but, for a guy nearer 40 than 30, he was not bad and with his great experience, he rarely wasted a ball.
Of course, Beckham could still play at the World Cup - but only if England improve greatly to give him the opportunity.
As I have pointed out before - we're shite, but we know we are; England are shite, but, the penny hasn't dropped yet.
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