[MoMo]

Hard luck ,Smartd, for us. Putin will have an extra big smile in his face. Rangers lost 2-0. The Russians from St Petersburg scored in the 74th minute. They then nailed it in the 2nd minute of injury time ! Pity, because Rangers had only lost two goals in the entire tournament, up to this game.

Rangers played the Italian-style defensive game, as they had done in their entire campaign. They adopted the 4-1-4-1 configuration. It worked for most of the game, but the Ruskies broke through, and caught Rangers on the break.

With 17 minutes left on the clock, Rangers made 3 substitutions in quick succession-all strikers. They had a chance to even the score in the dying minutes, but all the strikers seemed to get in each others way and the final try at goal failed as the ball sailed past the net.

After this, Rangers seemed to have lost it, pushing everyone up the park, but as so often occurs in these situations, fraught with danger, they were caught on the break again.

Oh well, there's always next year!

( now, Shearer, Caldow, Millar, Scott, Henderson, Baxter. What a squad! Those were the days when Scotland were big players on the Euro-scene. Eric Caldow was a pal of one of our neighbours when I was a kid and I would see him visit their house quite often. He always caused a stir when he appeared ).

I noticed that all the Russian fans seemed to chant and raise their arms in unison. Reminded me of the 1936 Olympics. Frightening!

[smartd]

Originally Posted by MoMo

Hard luck ,Smartd, for us. Putin will have an extra big smile in his face. Rangers lost 2-0. The Russians from St Petersburg scored in the 74th minute. They then nailed it in the 2nd minute of injury time ! Pity, because Rangers had only lost two goals in the entire tournament, up to this game.

Rangers played the Italian-style defensive game, as they had done in their entire campaign. They adopted the 4-1-4-1 configuration. It worked for most of the game, but the Ruskies broke through, and caught Rangers on the break.

With 17 minutes left on the clock, Rangers made 3 substitutions in quick succession-all strikers. They had a chance to even the score in the dying minutes, but all the strikers seemed to get in each others way and the final try at goal failed as the ball sailed past the net.

After this, Rangers seemed to have lost it, pushing everyone up the park, but as so often occurs in these situations, fraught with danger, they were caught on the break again.

Oh well, there's always next year!

( now, Shearer, Caldow, Millar, Scott, Henderson, Baxter. What a squad! Those were the days when Scotland were big players on the Euro-scene. Eric Caldow was a pal of one of our neighbours when I was a kid and I would see him visit their house quite often. He always caused a stir when he appeared ).

I noticed that all the Russian fans seemed to chant and raise their arms in unison. Reminded me of the 1936 Olympics. Frightening!

I remember Caldow and Shearer at an opening of a men's clothing store near my school ( Shawlands Academy) back in '63,... bunch of us just had to skip class and go get autographs. Hero worship indeed.

[Nimrod48]

Rangers play in blue and white, if you pick up the game on satellite or cable. This is as ' Badass a tie as USA V. USSR in Ice Hockey or Basketball !

Lets not forget the forthcoming European Cup too MoMo Manchester United ( Owned by Americans ) versus Chelsea ( Owned by a Russian )

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Nimrod48

Rangers play in blue and white, if you pick up the game on satellite or cable. This is as ' Badass a tie as USA V. USSR in Ice Hockey or Basketball !

Lets not forget the forthcoming European Cup too MoMo Manchester United ( Owned by Americans ) versus Chelsea ( Owned by a Russian )

Don't the British/Scottish/Welsh own anything anymore ... ?

[MoMo]

Nimrod48

Re: Nice Things to Talk About

---

Rangers play in blue and white, if you pick up the game on satellite or cable. This is as ' Badass a tie as USA V. USSR in Ice Hockey or Basketball !

Lets not forget the forthcoming European Cup too MoMo Manchester United ( Owned by Americans ) versus Chelsea ( Owned by a Russian )

Good point Nimrod. It'll be just like the Cold War all over again with the action being carried out by proxy by the Superpowers' client states. I'll be supporting the good ol' USA.

[MoMo]

Don't the British/Scottish/Welsh own anything anymore ... ?

Cardinal

It's better to be small Cardinal. We're so tiny that nobody sees us and no-one wants to buy. However, watch this space because the Football World has turned into a game of Monopoly. Soon, even the " Brown " property sites ( like the Old Kent Road ) will be consumed by the big players!

( for non-Brits, The Old Kent Road is one of the cheapest sites which you can buy on a British Monopoly board. I wonder what the equivalents are round the globe ? )

MoMo

[Nimrod48]

Originally Posted by MoMo

Nimrod48

Good point Nimrod. It'll be just like the Cold War all over again with the action being carried out by proxy by the Superpowers' client states. I'll be supporting the good ol' USA.

They get my support too MoMo .....never have liked Chelsea even more so recently since they have bought sucess but it is great having two Premership teams in the final but out of the big four I had hoped Arsenal would make it.

[MoMo]

Oh well, as long as the Russian Oligarchs go down !

I forgot, we have one : Heart of Midlothian ( Hearts ) are owned by the Ruskies.

Still, no-one will dare to make a bid for Rangers or Celtic. They'd be assassinated as soon as they turned up in Glasgow !

Have a happy weekend, everyone. I think that I'll go Dragon hunting tomorrow.

MoMo

[MoMo]

Well, I didn't get to go Dragon hunting. Instead, I got to take my 14 year-old God -Daughter into town so that she could demolish Primark in the holy quest for the ultimate new look for the holidays.

In Primark, I managed to lose her in the " Accessories " section ( the size of a football field ) and had visions of having to wander aimlessly, forever, among the pashminas, handbags and hair-bands. Eventually, I did find her, surrounded by mountains of female apparel, happy as a duck in a press. " I can't make my mind up Mo ",she informed me.

Several hours later, we left.

Next, the underground, the mobs of shoppers, the headache.

After all this, off to the Hilton for a Birthday Treat. Bobar, the posh Bistro.

Much munching, mucho dinero, much Coke.

Later, my mate Ian picked her up, and all the family were reunited at 6.30.

I fell asleep at 7.00 and woke up at 11.30.

What a day....................................

[MoMo]

The European Cup Final ( what they call " The Champions' League " now ) is still in play as I post.

Manchester United are playing Chelsea, the game has gone into extra time and the score is one goal each.

I hate Chelsea, but I have to admit that they have a fabulous team ( it cost plenty! ). Man. U. have a brilliant team too.

The game is brilliant entertainment, we're into the 24th minute of extra time ( 30 mins allowed ) and there are six minutes of play left before we go into a penalty shoot-out !

The game is being played in Moscow, where it is now way past midnight.

Will it go into penalties....watch this space......or watch the game on ITV ( U.K. )

MoMo