Alan Pattullo: Rangers and Celtic ought to feel embarrassed by German gesture

Bear all

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From the Scotsman


When this is all over, the hope is we’ll look back and realise that despite the borders, the different countries, races and religions, we are all in this together.
The world’s population will remain at risk from the sort of invisible enemy that is currently having such a profound impact. It could yet prompt a philosophical response. Some are even forecasting another Summer of Love when we are all allowed out in the open again.

Is it too much to expect Scottish football might develop something approaching a sense of community? Many are proving unarguably heroic in their own communities. The Scotsman has been carrying a diary from Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy in which he has been outlining his club’s efforts in helping the vulnerable in the local area.

Others, many themselves operating on the breadline, are pulling out the stops, such as Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Individuals, too, are taking a lead, Inverness manager John Robertson among them. He slipped on some protective gloves to deliver food parcels to pensioners in isolation due to the coronavirus outbreak.
But what are clubs doing for each other? I recall receiving some flak for suggesting Celtic should help bail out Rangers back in 2012. It was, perhaps, foolishly idealistic. One or two Celtic fans got in contact pointing that out. However, it was not some hippy notion plucked out of the air. The column was written on the back of a story in Germany where it was revealed, almost ten years after the event, that Bayern Munich had provided a €2 million loan to help fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund stave off the threat of bankruptcy in 2003.
It was a critical situation for Borussia Dortmund,” Uli Hoeness, Bayern’s president, explained. “I’m a big fan of tradition in sport. I think it was the right thing to do.”

The right thing to do. Just think about that for a moment. Bayern have also helped out financially troubled 1860 Munich and St Pauli in the past.

This week, it was reported that four clubs in the Bundesliga, including Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, have pledged a solidarity payment of €20m to support other clubs struggling to stay afloat in the country because of the shutdown.

“In these difficult times, it’s important that the stronger shoulders support the weaker shoulders,” said Bayern chief executive and former star player Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
It is hoped those in charge of clubs such as Rangers and Celtic might have the good grace to feel slightly embarrassed upon reading these words having presumably already banked the cheques received from the SPFL earlier this week. There has been little from either of them or any top-flight club in Scotland regarding the greater good. Of course, they have needs too. And compared to Germany for example, there is simply not the same level of funding to hand in Scottish football.

But we must also accept there is something far wrong in our game when earlier this week our top three clubs, including third-placed Motherwell, received an early handout totalling almost £400,000 each from the SPFL. League 2 clubs’ share of the pot, meanwhile, was only £1,350. Barely enough to pay for floodlight bulbs they may be about to turn off for good.



We have nothing to feel embarrassed about after our journey back to the top it must be lost on him how much of the Blue pound was spread through the little Clubs during it,I didn't see that mob give away any of their unimpossed CL entry money or any big commercial contracts that brought because of it,we have already paid our debt to Scottish football we owe it nothing.
 
contrast Bayern's actions V's the whole of Scottish football 2012........ poles apart ....


F*ck them
Which is probably what should be pointed out. The SPL clubs and SFA lined up to take a kick and laugh at us. We still havent recovered from it.

Now theres a national crisis and other clubs are feeling the strain weve to go all warm and fuzzy and start dishing handouts to them?

Piss off.
 
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Our demotion to the bottom tier of Scottish football was a massive positive/help for the smaller clubs. It literally kept them afloat for the foreseeable future back in 2012.

Where was our help at our time of need. No where, every bastard wanted us dead.

To compare us to the 4th and 12th richest clubs in the world is utter ridiculous. We simply don't have that cash flow of a Bayern Munich or Dortmund.

Right now you look after number one - in terms of your football club. We do what's best for Rangers. Not Hamilton, not Raith Rovers or Forfar.
 
People always need someone to blame for things.

It’s usually the government, sometimes but only sometimes justifiably, and now it seems it’s the football clubs.

So Bayern bailed out Dortmund. A noble gesture. Now give me another two or three examples of the same altruism elsewhere before you start wiring into my club.

Then give me a couple of clubs in Scotland that gave a flying fcuk when we landed in financial shyte.

Even when you’ve considered all that just remember that our own financial situation holds no guarantees of our fitness to come through this unscathed.

Charity begins at home.
 
I don’t think any club in Scotland is in a position, even if they wanted, to give money to other clubs. The beggars because of their wage bill will be haemorrhaging about a £1m in wages a week, which gives me a warm glow. It’s not really a time for altruism but a time for survival.
 
Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things but,did'nt Bayern's financial gesture include the clause that they had first dibs on Dortmund's players?
Or,is that just a myth?
 
Instead of going after Rangers and Celtic here for some hits to the column maybe he should be asking the question of what the SFA SPFL etc are doing to help clubs.
 
The east end scum are always battering on about how well run and wealthy they are come on pete prove it and dip your hand in your pocket
 
"But we must also accept there is something far wrong in our game when earlier this week our top three clubs, including third-placed Motherwell, received an early handout totalling almost £400,000 each from the SPFL. League 2 clubs’ share of the pot, meanwhile, was only £1,350. Barely enough to pay for floodlight bulbs they may be about to turn off for good."

In that case cancel the leagues (they will never be completed anyway) and divide the money equally.
 
He is indeed living in a dream world, he has clearly forgotten the sheer outpouring of hatred when we were on our knees in 2012.

Then he has also clearly forgotten that every single lower league team filled their coffers during our return back to the top, we have more than done our bit for the small teams.

And finally he also must have forgotten about the £10 million black hole in our own clubs finances! We are in no position to help anyone out right now.
 
I’m sure we support the team who lost to ict in the challenge cup. Better than nothing I suppose
 
There are human beings out there who have no money coming in. Food banks are drying up and need food BADLY. And this pathetic journalist is suggesting Rangers & Celtic give clubs like Aberdeen millions of pounds?

Where in the fk is this journalists priorities? When Bayern gave Dortmund £2m, there wasnt a covid19 epidemic decimating families.

If Celtic are as cash rich as they say they are, they should go back to their roots and empty that cash at bank on starving fans.
 
Imagine comparing our situation to the wealth of the top 4 Bundesligs clubs. What a fucking idiot.

Bayern giving €5M to support other clubs is 10% of their year’s profit. On the basis our last accounts showed £11M loss, I’d love to know how this twat proposes that we prop up the rest of Scottish football.
 
When I seen the Headline about the German clubs a few days ago I did wonder what angle the Scottish media would take ...
 
He is indeed living in a dream world, he has clearly forgotten the sheer outpouring of hatred when we were on our knees in 2012.

Then he has also clearly forgotten that every single lower league team filled their coffers during our return back to the top, we have more than done our bit for the small teams.

And finally he also must have forgotten about the £10 million black hole in our own clubs finances! We are in no position to help anyone out right now.
Exactly, he might have forgotten but we haven’t.
 
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Jesus they have player's on a weekly wage probably worth more than our first team squad put together. Different league altogether
 
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