David_Blunkett wrote:

Was gonna reply on yesterdays match thread, but it's a general rant rather than specifically about that game.

Football is a relatively simple game, that has somehow been turned into a massively overcomplicated mess, because one guy with all the financial backing he needed, has coached 3 teams, full of superstars and this is now seen as the only proper way to play.

In almost every position we have better players than our opponents in this league. We've shot ourselves in the foot so often it's laughable, and in most cases the damage has been done before they take the park.

The calibre of players we've signed, the financial outlay to get these guys, we should be getting way more from them.

Often at games we still and ask ourselves "What to they do in training all week?" Well, the answer is right in front of you.

It's low intensity, pass, pass, go backwards, pass, don't take risks, pad out the stats football, football is meant to be for the fans, who in their right mind wants to watch 11 plodders try and make pretty patterns?

How the fuck can anyone enjoy the Airdrie style of trying to suck the life our of the opposition?

It's fucking shite. Fuck them all, fuck your clipboards, 48 page opponent dossier and fuck your XG, Bee Gee and Kenny G.

 
One of the things that is becoming common, is new universities eg Manchester Metropolitan are trying to teach a model of how football should be played. They try and apply the Bill Belichick New England Patriots philosophy to football. Much of this merely theory applied to another sport. The whole playing out from the back approach has become part of the philosophy. Interestingly if you watch Airdrie play, they, religiously follow this philosophy. Coincidentally, Rhys McCabe happens to be an Associate of  Consilium Ltd - a sports agency set up by Mike Martin and Jackie McNamara. His aunt is Shelley Kerr MSc (Merit).

The problem I have, is, that 1) Anyone seems to get admitted to the courses wit

Tek wrote:

SuperMario wrote:

Goodwin lost us that game, Ian Murray won them that game.

100%

Whatever the outcome is of this season, whether we win the league, get promoted via the Play-off's or stay down.

Goodwin must go.

And i would let ALL of the out of contract players go.

Apart from perhaps Wotherspoon. After tonight i would like to see how he goes till the end of the season. Stood out a mile.
 

 
I have to confess, I was very much in favour of the Goodwin appointment. He seemed to speak well and I admired him, having the guts to take the job after he got sacked by Aberdeen.

One thing bothers me. His teams lack grit. To achieve anything ( in any sport), you have to want it more than the next guy. I dismissed his Darvel fiasco, too easily. When we played Falkirk in that fizzy pop cup, with the possible exception of Sibbald, nobody looked like they wanted it. I didn’t see the QoS match, but, again when you are away to lower league opposition, you need to grind out a result. Going to inhospitable venues in the winter months is never pleasant, but, you look round and ask yourself, “where are the leaders”, “who wants the ball”, “who is communicating”.

As uncompromising a player that Goodwin, was, I don’t see a desire within the team. Sure they play for each other but do they really want it enough?

I don’t think you are being paranoid at all. You have two American owners who are in a financial hole. The combined site would be worth more than merely one. We know Ogren will not put any more cash in. He could try to create a non voting class of shares and do a Rights Issue or leverage something (stadium). He could do a sale and leaseback. It is possible that he could off load some of his shares to an EPL club in the same way Hibs were looking at.

dufc2019 wrote:

United Arab Emarite wrote:

Stillliving wrote:

 
He was walking around the pitch at the end and was able to lift Tony Watt of the ground. Reckon he will be OK for Arbroath.
Negativity in the stands is a bigger issue

You're on the button Stillliving re fans' negativity being a problem.
I was sh!tting myself that Partick would equalise about 70-80 mins, they definitely had a sniff, detected the fans' unrest and had they equaslised I hate to think the reaction from the stands.
The players feel the tension too & so play within themselves, desperate not to make a mistake knowing the howling from the fans would be off the scale.
As soon as we got the 2nd goal on 86 mins you could see the difference, the players were free of the tension and were playing with their heads high & strutting about.
This has been an issue for many a year & it's very frustrating, if all our fans were positive & supportive you can add 10 points a season.
Even after Watt had scored the opener you could hear the fans' disquiet every time he touched the ball, regardless of what he was doing with it.
I honestly don't know why we have so many of hyper-critical fans, they'd be of more benefit staying away.

This will no doubt induce a negative reaction but trust me, it is an issue & I wish we could do something about it.
The players & the management are well aware of the negativity but obviously have to talk up the support all the time.
We do have a strange 'support'. Modern times maybe but we're up there with the worst of them.

Rant over.
 

Well said mate. The hysterics from the crowd at 1-0 after a couple of bad passes was ridiculous and as you say only affects the players negatively.


 

 
I’ve been to quite a few home games, this season and quite frankly, I haven’t enjoyed the company of the people around me. This is in contrast to away games. At away games, I always find someone to talk to (even if it is the biggest pishhead) off the A90 bus.

At th

I don’t disagree with you on the verification issue. It may well be that he has to charge a subscription to eliminate the bots. Whether the majority of people will pay it or not, I don’t know.

As I said, for some time, I disliked Musk intensely. That said, when you are investing, you have to be objective and not allow your prejudices trump your decision making. Any “disrupter” be it, Musk, Jobs, Brin, Theil or Murdoch are usually pretty obnoxious, disagreeable people. Most of us need some form of recognition or praise. These guys don’t. They single-mindedly pursue their vision despite everyone telling them, they are wrong. I recall in 1998, I couldn’t fathom why Google had a market cap of 2x Shell. Google had a annual profit of $100m, whereas, Shell made
$8.7bn a quarter. Tesla is a true technology company. They actually design their chips, rather than outsource them in the way legacy motor manufacturers do. They not only design their own components, but, design (and patent) the machines to make these components.

As regards to Musk usurping someone else’s idea, I would point out that the Tesla founders needed money. In the first VC round of funding they could only raise $7.5 m. Of that $6.5 was Musk’s. Without Musk, the founding members of Tesla, hadn’t a hope in hell of raising even VC money let alone Private Equity. When you turn up at Calpers or Ontario Teachers (pension funds), having taken $100m from a sale of PayPal and have Larry Page and Sergy Brin in tow, they listen to you.

You can make the same argument about Zuckerberg and the Winkelvii twins or even Ray Kroc and the McDonald brothers. Kroc’s genius was to make McDonald’s a property company (not a burger company.

It’s fine to hate Musk, but, one question: Would you short Tesla?

They are doing a great job. I suppose the big difference is that Ann Budge transferred her shares to the foundation i.e. it was a gift, there was no consideration. I just don’t see Mark Ogren doing that. For him it is an investment. Unfortunately he is so far in the hole he can’t contemplate taking the loss.

Tangy wrote:

Seen this? Govt looking to stop folk travelling by bus to games to not be able to let you have a drink on the way to the games?

Aside from the fact that a drink is all that gets you through our games sometimes, surely this encourages binge drinking or will kill away supports both in terms of numbers going to games and the atmosphere generated at the game? 

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/guidelines-for-taking-passengers-to-sporting-events-in-scotland/guidelines-for-taking-passengers-to-sporting-events-in-scotland-consultation-document

 
I suppose it is only a consultation document, but, a rather poorly drafted one at that. Trying to define what is a “substantial meal” amuses me. A basin of cheesy nachos or a bridie would qualify, but, what happens if you share it?

If the driver of the designated PSV stops to allow supporters off for in impromptu pee, is he expected to inform the DFO and escort supporters into the loo?

In big games at Hampden involving the Old Firm it is quite common to hold one set of supporters back while the other disperses. What about the 30min rule?

As was said why should rugby supporters be treated differently? Is there any objective evidence to suggest they pose less of a threat?

Is anyone really surprised? Ogren has no more money to spend. His adviser and former Sporting Director is no longer on the scene, hence Ogren’s embarrassing last interview demonstrated just how out of touch he is.

Let’s deal with Zander Clark. His agent is Consilium Ltd. Directors of Consilium Ltd are: Jackie McNammara and Mike Martin. McNammara was a colleague of Tony Asghar and someone who did consultancy work for Revolution. When Asghar wound up his agency, he let his clients speak to McNammara. I am very much of the belief that McNammara introduced Mike Martin to Asghar.

Ok, Mark Ogren has been had, hook line and sinker, but, so have the fans. A former manager and former majority shareholder have pursued their own interests at the expense of the club and fans.

Apologies if I am repeating myself, but, until we the fans purchase the club, we will be at the mercy of middlemen and opportunists.

Over the last few months, I have been dismayed by the number of people still using the term “coloured” when they mean black. It’s not, even, a generational thing, people in their forties are still using the term.

It’s been over 12 years since Alan Hansen made his reference to “coloured” players. I really thought that would have been a watershed moment, but, it seems it wasn’t . I recall having a heated argument with my Dad over this one. He was well in his 70s when the Hansen incident occurred. He genuinely believed that “coloured” was not offensive, but, “black” was. When I explained to him that white was not the default colour and that there were all kind of shades of white he accepted it.

Admittedly the term “people of colour” is not great ( lumping all non Caucasians together), but, at least it is a non offensive term. Most Africans would prefer to be called “black” or “African”.

Are some people just stubborn (using the term their parents used), or ignorant, or unwilling to accept society moved on since the mid 1960s ?

Danzaa wrote:

Saw Ogren's interview, deluded as ever
He needs to admit defeat and get out

 
I’ve spent a lot of time, over the years, trying to piece together what actually happened in terms of the sale of United and how Revolution (Asghar) got involved. This is going to be a bit convoluted but focus on the dates.

In an interview with Alan Pattullo (Scotsman) 16th Feb 2019, Asghar was asked about his relationship with Jackie McNammara. His response was:

“Jackie is a friend of mine……He started up his own agency when I gave up my agency and I had a number of players who asked for a recommendation. I gave them the opportunity to speak to Jackie.” “He did some consultancy work for me at Revolution”

Pattullo then asked Asghar when he last spoke to McNammara: “Seven or eight days ago”

If you check McNammara’s name against Companies House register, you come up with two entries: Consilium Ltd and Erena Sports Ltd (dissolved). Strangely another person who is/was a director of both of these companies is Michael Martin. Mike Martin, you may recall resigned as a director of The Dundee United Football Club Ltd on 18th December 2018.

Is it me jumping to conclusions or is it fair to assume that McNammara introduced Mike Martin to Asghar? Or did Mike Martin just find him on Yellow Pages?

I don’t think a podcast of this nature, showed Goodwillie up in a positive light, at all. Of course he has matured, but, trying to portray himself as a victim, just, does not wash. It did reveal that he, still, doesn’t understand that nature of rape.

First thing you learn in Criminal law is that drunkenness is no defence to anything. He claimed to be completely drunk, but, managed to drive home at 3am.

“there’s all kinds of rape” Nonsense. Rape occurs when someone does not consent to a sexual act. Furthermore, someone can withdraw consent at any point during that act.

If someone is deemed to be so intoxicated that they cannot give consent, then it is rape. In Goodwillie’s case three unrelated witnesses testified that Ms Clair was so drunk that, in their opinion she required hospital treatment

Obviously if you have sex with someone under 16, it is deemed to be statutory rape.

Goodwillie seems to think violence needs to be involved or the victim needs to put up some sort of struggle.

Tek wrote:

Musk is gonna monetise it isn't he?

 
The first thing, is, that Musk didn’t want to buy Twitter. A Delaware Court would have forced him to buy it, hence, the issue was forced. The fact that Twitter shares rallied 32% on the announcement, suggests that investors considered Musk could improve the business.

Musk has stated that social media platforms are becoming a Mecca for people to spout polarised views on everything. I think he is correct. Even terrestrial TV stations like BBC and ITV, base their content on what will get ratings. Why would you lead with Philip Scofield for days, when 300 people die in a rail crash in India? A fair number of friends on my Twitter feed think the BBC are anti Scottish.

Musk wants to make Twitter a proper debating form where polarised views are marginalised. Obviously if he succeeds, it will be much more attractive to advertisers.