Phil May Be Obsessed With Events Down Edmiston Drive, But, This Doesn't Mean He's Writing Mince

BLOGGER and author Phil Mac Giolla Bhain is a divisive chap, loved by some, mainly in the Celtic Family, loathed by many, and not just amongst the ranks of Ra Peepul. He is also something of an acquired taste.

His tome 'Downfall' is THE definitive account (so far), of the demise of Rangers FC (1872-2012). It is, in truth, a terrible book, making an absolute pig's breakfast of telling a remarkable tale, but, until something better comes along, it will have to do.

That criticism made, it has to be acknowledged, Phil knows his stuff, he has consistently been ahead of the pack when it comes to breaking news, generally the stuff Rangers, or the Rangers Tribute Act, would rather was kept secret. It is, however, such a pity he cannot write a bookie's line and has used some subs who shouldn't even have been in the squad, far less on the bench.

One thing I do share with Phil, is a healthy scepticism about the modes and methods of the King and his court. Ra Peepul might see them as "Real Rangers Men", I see a bunch of chancers.

Phil is convinced all is not well at Ibrox, I tend to agree with him. It looks as if we are in for another long season of misinformation, evasion and high drama around the RTA. My long-held belief that this whole Ibrox farrago is nothing more than an elaborate scheme to make money for m'learned friends has not been tested in any way.

This soap opera has a long way to go.

I HAVE been saying, for a long time now, until we get back to positively-discriminating in favour of Scottish talent, Scottish football will struggle. Take this week for instance. Hibs have recruited a new Spanish goalkeeper, while the RTA has acquired an English keeper, who, if reports from the South are accurate, is not remotely in the Banks, Shilton, Clemence class.

Good luck to the guys, in getting their contracts, but, I refuse to believe there are not Scottish goalkeepers out there who coud do just as good a job.

I have long said, this stuff about freedom of movement as an excuse for importing cheap foreign players into Scotland is pure pish. If the English Rugby Football Union can insist on 70% of every match-day squad in the Aviva Premiership is "England-qualified", why cannot the SPFL make the same demands on its clubs?

 THE trouble with this all-year-round fitba nonsense is, the sports writers (for sport read fitba) in Scotland have to have holidays, but, when can they take their breaks?

This should be the ideal point in the year for this, except, with the lowered expectations of our clubs in Europe, even our supposed best clubs are getting back into competitive action, while we are into that fortnight in the year when our sports writers try to kid us on they are golf experts. We even have one or two exchanging Ochilview for Wimbledon.

With staffing levels being slashed by cash-strapped, circulation bleeding newspapers, we are not getting the service we ought to be receiving from our msm.

AND, what about today's BIG story on our sports pages - Kris Boyd has a hair transplant operation. Come on, gie's a brek; he's been wearing his heid upside doon for two years, surely it could have been put right way up a lot cheaper!!!

FINALLY, I tried to watch the Women's World Cup Final on Sunday night, but, after 12 minutes or so of Jonathan Pearce giving his own version of that sixties classic by Kim Weston 'It Should Have Been Me'; Fat Pearce's version was, of course: "It Should Have Been England", I gave up.

By the time I did, USA were 2-0 up and, I already knew, it was game over.