Barry Hearn

[parsforlife]

I know a lot of people don't like Hearn and I even understand why. However, I would much rather he was in charge of promoting our game. At least he would actually promote it at all.

I think someone like hearn would be useful to have in for 2-3 years, promote the game and f**k off.

He's (more than) a bit of an arse but as you say he would put the effort into promoting the game, once he's gone we could reel the OTT things in a bit.

[Austin316]

The trouble with the general public these days is many of them have turned into right lazy b*****ds! Could easily watch a dozen top flight games over the course of a weekend from the comfort of the sofa, betting online, munching the leftover dominos delivered the night before and drinking beer ordered via tesco online. With everything else becoming so much more convenient actually getting off your arse and going to a local game is too much hassle for some. Cost is the favourite excuse but I doubt ticket prices are any more expensive in real terms than 10 or 20 years ago

[Ross.]

People usually think is a good idea... but: consider that clubs appointed Doncaster as their CEO, and commissioned Henry McLeish to write a review.

Their proposals included 10-team SPL or 12-12 > 8-8-8; introduction of Old Firm 'B' teams; and so on. Doncaster Regan and McLeish all wanted Rangers to start in SFL1. (Infact they probably wanted them to stay in SPL).

So if Doncaster or McLeish was the "Commissioner", would we be happy with them being allowed to decide things? Agree deals? etc.?

The problem with the likes of Doncaster and Reagan is that they were appointed by the clubs to represent the clubs. They are not independent and as a result all you get is more of the same.

With McLeish he is too immersed in Scottish football as it was, and was unable to see too far outside the narrow confines of the game beyond a couple of populist policies.

Maybe in a backwater but I'm talking about Global interest. What's happened is that the football association allowed tiny clumps of badly supported clubs to dictate the future of the game which is all the way down to amateur if we don't get the big clubs back but bury your head in the sand and blame the media. Silly stuff mate

With regards to the "global appeal" of the Old Firm derby, has anyone ever actually quantified this? Celtic and Rangers have fans abroad where there are Scottish and Irish ex-pats but is there real interest elsewhere? Is it shown in TV anywhere in Europe, the way games like the Milan derby, Benfica-Sporting or PSG-Marsielles are covered by BT and Sky in this country?

There is no global interest outside the ex pat communities. I work in a pub over here that shows Scottish football when it is on. If there are no ex pats in watching it, no one is watching it. Even the matches involving Celtic or Rangers attract little to no attention beyond the ex pats and the folk they have converted. The pub hosted the 10 or 20 year anniversary of the Swiss Celtic Supporters club last year. There were maybe a couple of hundred folk at the very most, and that probably accounted for every Swiss Celtic fan in existence, along with a few Germans and Austrians. The only time I have seen any real kind of increase in interest was when Celtic beat Barca a few years ago. That has dropped away again with them being pish in Europe since.

[Clarkston5]

The problem with the likes of Doncaster and Reagan is that they were appointed by the clubs to represent the clubs. They are not independent and as a result all you get is more of the same.

With McLeish he is too immersed in Scottish football as it was, and was unable to see too far outside the narrow confines of the game beyond a couple of populist policies.

There is no global interest outside the ex pat communities. I work in a pub over here that shows Scottish football when it is on. If there are no ex pats in watching it, no one is watching it. Even the matches involving Celtic or Rangers attract little to no attention beyond the ex pats and the folk they have converted. The pub hosted the 10 or 20 year anniversary of the Swiss Celtic Supporters club last year. There were maybe a couple of hundred folk at the very most, and that probably accounted for every Swiss Celtic fan in existence, along with a few Germans and Austrians. The only time I have seen any real kind of increase in interest was when Celtic beat Barca a few years ago. That has dropped away again with them being pish in Europe since.

Yes and that's the point. Playing in this diddy back water where we don't get to play the big games has had this effect. I know that it's started and as for the Barca game, they went to watch Barca and not them.

If this keeps up, Scottish football will be even less interesting even to expats

[RandomGuy.]

Yes and that's the point. Playing in this diddy back water where we don't get to play the big games has had this effect. I know that it's started and as for the Barca game, they went to watch Barca and not them.

If this keeps up, Scottish football will be even less interesting even to expats

I fully agree, if Celtic moved to England and finished 10th every season theyd lose far less Champions League games

[Clarkston5]

I fully agree, if Celtic moved to England and finished 10th every season theyd lose far less Champions League games

Nah because our clubs are ambitious and they'd compete and yes they might have to settle in but they'd have money and they'd attract top names and they'd win the league within 5 years. They're huge clubs mate. Just admit it

[RandomGuy.]

Nah because our clubs are ambitious and they'd compete and yes they might have to settle in but they'd have money and they'd attract top names and they'd win the league within 5 years. They're huge clubs mate. Just admit it

Your an atrocious troll btw, there was about three or four less obvious, more effective routes you couldve went down.

Much dissapoint.

[Clarkston5]

Your an atrocious troll btw, there was about three or four less obvious, more effective routes you couldve went down.

Much dissapoint.

Every one of you who go over that kind of sh**e patter are trolls/aliases and I know that what I've said has upset you. Instead of doing that how about getting your useless chairman to try and get the big clubs back up and then allow us to gtfu!

[RandomGuy.]

Awful. Genuinely awful.

[Ross.]

Yes and that's the point. Playing in this diddy back water where we don't get to play the big games has had this effect. I know that it's started and as for the Barca game, they went to watch Barca and not them.

If this keeps up, Scottish football will be even less interesting even to expats

The increase in interest was from the Swiss, not the ex pats. It was as much a reaction to Barcelona getting beat by someone unfashionable as it was a reaction to Celtic beating Barcelona mind you. 2 fingers up at the football hipsters type of thing.

Scottish football suffers because of people with your attitude. The standard is not massively behind a lot of the leagues ranked above it, the attendances are far higher than they should be, and the clubs have a relatively large amount of cash when you consider the size of the country. Too many folk are instantly dismissive of it instead of promoting the positive aspects. This leads to less interest, which leads to TV money getting lowered, less sponsorship, players not wanting to consider coming there. If people were far more realistic they would be far more positive about the game in Scotland and it might actually improve a lot quicker.

As for Celtic escaping the "Diddy backwater", it would be a massively positive thing for the rest of Scottish football. Since Rangers went bust, the game has come on a lot and most teams have seen improvements on and off the park. The biggest problem that Scottish football faced was the lack of competition. Rangers in the 90's and Celtic now were killing the game because no one is interested in watching a one horse race. And even if both were in the top division, it's still a one horse race. Celtic & Rangers are the same entity to anyone who is not a Celtic or a Rangers fan.

The last 3 or 4 seasons has seen cups being won by a lot of teams. If that continues it will go a long way towards dragging the game up a good bit.

[Ira Gaines]

Celtic would be unlikely to be let into the European competitions so aye, they'd lose less in them.

[markc]

The fact is you can have 10 ,12 or 22 teams in a division...the problem is you only have 2 big clubs.It will never happen but it you had a club that was 'Edinburgh'you would have big club number 3...as big a club as either of the OF...IF there was a one club in Dundee you would have a club that might get 20,000 plus gates.. one team in Ayrshire similar and so on...although it wont happen and of course i understand why.

[Killie Zenit]

Nobody listens to the fans though so if it takes Hearn to get our message across then good on him.

I think it's more likely that the blazers will all laugh nervously, thank him for coming, and shuffle awkwardly until he pisses off back down the road and it's feet up and back to business as usual.

It'll be like when Alex Thomson appeared on Superscoreboard and eviscerated no-marks like Hugh "Global Institution" Keevins and Roger "Paid to have his Google history deleted" Hannah for failing to uphold the most basic journalistic standards in investigating Craig Whyte: did this entire sorry episode lead to humility and a soul-searching within the Scottish MSM? Did it f*ck. Let's just give a two-page spread to Mark Hateley.

[SimonLichtie]

Scottish football needs the Old Firm and it's a "terrible" thing for fans to actually admit that but if Rangers don't get back along to the top league along with the two Edinburgh clubs, the game in Scotland is in serious trouble. Tough if you don't like it but at least f**king admit it!

Nah because our clubs are ambitious and they'd compete and yes they might have to settle in but they'd have money and they'd attract top names and they'd win the league within 5 years. They're huge clubs mate. Just admit it

I really hope this is trolling, or else I just feel pity for you. Seriously.

[Rednyella]

I think there was a lot of sense in a lot of what he has said.

Agreed. He is spot on. I think the SFA and SPFL should be ashamed at he job they've done in marketing and pushing football in Scotland. I know several football fans who have moved to support and go watch other sports as the state of the game is so bad and the prices have increased.

Basketball, rugby are just two examples in Glasgow that are available. Also many just do other family activities. One of my mates family spent the money on a golf membership instead of a season ticket at the football for same price and they do that as a family.

There is plenty of other things to get better entertainment and SFA has to wake up.

I mean we can't even get a sponsor for the league. It's a joke.

[jamamafegan]

Just read that whole piece on what Hearn said. Any chance we can draft this guy in and get Cockwomble and co out?

[Killie Zenit]

Just read that whole piece on what Hearn said. Any chance we can draft this guy in and get Cockwomble and co out?

I reckon we should send a contingent of P&Bers down and doorstep him until he agrees to roll into town like High Plains Drifter, whipping Cockwomble to death for his pish.

[7-2]

I think it's more likely that the blazers will all laugh nervously, thank him for coming, and shuffle awkwardly until he pisses off back down the road and it's feet up and back to business as usual.

It'll be like when Alex Thomson appeared on Superscoreboard and eviscerated no-marks like Hugh "Global Institution" Keevins and Roger "Paid to have his Google history deleted" Hannah for failing to uphold the most basic journalistic standards in investigating Craig Whyte: did this entire sorry episode lead to humility and a soul-searching within the Scottish MSM? Did it f*ck. Let's just give a two-page spread to Mark Hateley.

Sadly, you'll be 100% correct.

[williemillersmoustache]

Sadly, you'll be 100% correct.

Totally. Thanks very much, what a lovely story, now back to your silly little (massively successful) games of sticks and spears.

It's the talking the game down i cannot stand or excuse, it's always going to be run badly but why tell everyone the product you're selling is shite? It's disgraceful.

[Bobby_F]

I honestly wouldn't care if Rangers disappeared tomorrow.

Since Rangers were put into Division 3, there have been more winners of domestic competitions and the Scottish national team has dramatically improved as players like Andrew Robertson, Ryan Gauld and Stevie May have been allowed to flourish and move onto England and Spain instead of warming the bench at Ibrox and Parkhead every week.

Your club and Celtic kill the Scottish game. Simple as that. You used to take everyones good players and bench them and not develop them, just made a SPL XI and beat everyone. You did not, and still do not, focus on youth development.

And as for 'global development', like anyone cares - people want a good, competitive league which garners interest from Scottish people, not some Malaysians and Vietnamese folk who couldn't find Ibrox if they were dropped off in Govan but are 'die hard Bears'. Two big clubs ripping apart everyone to sustain their self-interest is not going to sell in the Middle East in China. For that to happen you need to have the best players in the world which Celtic and Rangers will never get.

On topic: Barry Hearn couldn't change a thing, those running the game have made it so that for any dramatic improvements to be made, Rangers and Celtic have to vote for it first, so significant change to finances will never happen.

Very valid point.

And incredibly during the whole Rangers saga this wasn't dealt with.

Was it Aberdeen who vetoed the 11-1 change?

Pretty sure it was them that vilified Saints and Ross County for vetoing the 8-8-8 scenario too - and did so in a very public way.

I think Willie Miller still has the odd go at Stuart Gilmour for that.

Off topic I know, but what mental game were Aberdeen playing during all of this.

Certainly not one that would have bettered Scottish football.