Will anyone outside the Old Firm ever win the league again?

[Hibbyradge]

Assuming Rantic don't get their move to the EPL, do people believe that only they can win the Scottish league? For ever?

Or will there ever be a successful challenge?

[Onceinawhile]

Yes, Hibs next year:agree:

[...WentToMowAnSPL]

And the year after :) :thumbsup:

[Darth Hibbie]

Yes, Hibs next year:agree:

Thats jinxed next year then :greengrin

[Hibercelona]

Hearts? :dunno:














:jamboak: :lolyam: :jamboclow :ostrich: :brokenyam:

[surreyhibbie]

highly unlikely, but not impossible.

But it would probably take a Saudi Billionaire or someone like that. And why the **** would they bother with Scottish Football?

[iwasthere1972]

Assuming Rantic don't get their move to the EPL, do people believe that only they can win the Scottish league? For ever?

Or will there ever be a successful challenge?

Well if we base it on the 100 people who replied "Yes" when asked in 1902 whether Hibs would win the Scottish Cup again I would say dont know.

[Leithenhibby]

I would love to think that a team would come along and stick it right up them two, I really do - even the Yams.(too far) I recall the year that Dundee Utd won the League with a squad of 14 ( i think) So the answer to you question is yes, I do think that one day a team out-with the ugly sisters will win the SPL.

[wazoo1875]

highly unlikely, but not impossible.

But it would probably take a Saudi Billionaire or someone like that. And why the **** would they bother with Scottish Football?

I don't think it would take a billionaire mate , someone with a few more quid than Vlad had 4 years ago and a good manager like Burley was and it would be a goer.

If the mad one was serious and kept Burley that season i seriously believe that Herts could have done it . They were relatively close in the end , i think the game they lost to Celtic at Tynie around new year was definitive .

So , yes i think it is possible for someone outwith the bigots to win it again.

C'mon Sir Tom , dig deep and win it for us :thumbsup:

[Onceinawhile]

I don't think it would take a billionaire mate , someone with a few more quid than Vlad had 4 years ago and a good manager like Burley was and it would be a goer.

If the mad one was serious and kept Burley that season i seriously believe that Herts could have done it . They were relatively close in the end , i think the game they lost to Celtic at Tynie around new year was definitive .

So , yes i think it is possible for someone outwith the bigots to win it again.

C'mon Sir Tom , dig deep and win it for us :thumbsup:

I've got a tenner:agree:

[surreyhibbie]

I don't think it would take a billionaire mate , someone with a few more quid than Vlad had 4 years ago and a good manager like Burley was and it would be a goer.

If the mad one was serious and kept Burley that season i seriously believe that Herts could have done it . They were relatively close in the end , i think the game they lost to Celtic at Tynie around new year was definitive .

So , yes i think it is possible for someone outwith the bigots to win it again.

C'mon Sir Tom , dig deep and win it for us :thumbsup:

Yup, the Yams could have, in my opinion, but Mad Vlad screwed it up. But the point is it would take a large influx of the folding stuff. As you say, a wee bit more than Vlad was willing to put up, not much...

[wazoo1875]

I've got a tenner:agree:

I'll double it

We're onto something here if we all chip in, the flag's ours next season :hnet:

[matty_f]

Assuming Rantic don't get their move to the EPL, do people believe that only they can win the Scottish league? For ever?

Or will there ever be a successful challenge?

It will happen one year, and it won't take millions to do it. It will take something special though.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that the OF will have managers that are disastrous for them at similar times - imagine if Polly Gwen and John Barnes had their tenures at the same time!

[magpie1892]

I am relatively optimistic that it cold be done, especially bearing in mind how poor Rangers and Celtic have been thus far this season. They are both shadows of the sides they have been in the recent past and the European results and performances bear this out.

If these four teams: Burley's Hearts, Mowbray's Hibs, McLean's DUFC and Ferguson or Smith's Aberdeen were lining up in this season's SPL, the repellent brothers would be lucky to finish top six.

Rangers are skint; they are bringing in mediocrity like Rothen and cannot be expected to hang on to their best player (Bougherra) much longer. Celtic, too, are on a very tight financial leash. They simply can't afford to bring in the players they once did, nor will they be able to for a long time, if ever again.

The financial disparity between the repellents and the rest is closing and so if 'unfashionable' teams like AZ Alkmaar, Wolfsburg and Boavista can win strong leagues which are traditionally dominated by two or three big names then it could happen here.

Provided, of course, Scottish clubs stop losing their best players to the OF on frees...

[Hibs Spain]

Assuming Rantic don't get their move to the EPL, do people believe that only they can win the Scottish league? For ever?

Or will there ever be a successful challenge?Last year,this year,next year may even be a better opportunity but if there was a better window than right now,than in the last 40yrs?:wink:

[sleeping giant]

This is the best time anybody else has had for a very long time and we are in a very good position to take advantage of any long term loss of form from the Infirm.
We dont look good at the back tbh but you just never know:greengrin
A wee bit grit and determination may make the difference and with us outspending the Infirm , maybe more in Jan , we could have a right good kick at the ba this season:agree:

I might not feel like this in 3 or 4 games time but i am enjoying my optimism at the moment thanks very much:thumbsup:

[matty_f]

This is the best time anybody else has had for a very long time and we are in a very good position to take advantage of any long term loss of form from the Infirm.
We dont look good at the back tbh but you just never know:greengrin
A wee bit grit and determination may make the difference and with us outspending the Infirm , maybe more in Jan , we could have a right good kick at the ba this season:agree:

I might not feel like this in 3 or 4 games time but i am enjoying my optimism at the moment thanks very much:thumbsup:

To be honest, it's that bit that would stop us, potentially, getting second or third (or maybe fourth).

I think the defence will strengthen as the season progresses, regardless of whether or not we bring anyone in. If we get a settled and consistent back 4, then they should grow together and become more effective.

That takes time, and while it's happening I suspect we'll drop the points that would have made the difference.

[sleeping giant]

To be honest, it's that bit that would stop us, potentially, getting second or third (or maybe fourth).

I think the defence will strengthen as the season progresses, regardless of whether or not we bring anyone in. If we get a settled and consistent back 4, then they should grow together and become more effective.

That takes time, and while it's happening I suspect we'll drop the points that would have made the difference.

I have normally given up all hope by now of getting anywhere near the top of the league but , seemingly , Rangers are skint and ageing and Celtic "could" be there for the taking.

Reality might set in soon right enough but there is something to play for at long last.

[Vini1875]

I really believe another club could win the league this year, but it would take a few teams being more consistent and taking points off the OF. celtc scrapped wins against Hibs and hearts.

[basehibby]

Assuming the world doesn't come to an end or something it's got to happen some time - not this year though I'm afraid.

[snooky]

Impossible - it's against the Constitution!

Better look out, we're dangerously perched 2nd in the SPL.
The powers-that-be adopt a war of atricion in these circumstances.
I fancy numerous bookings today (for both sides) plus at least two players ordered off.
We (or any other team for that matter) can't be allowed to upset the applecart. :grr:

[New Corrie]

At the moment, £10 million would probably win the league for the likes of us or Dundee Utd. Both clubs with a good infrastructure and a half decent manager. The OF are knickers just now. If Sir Tom even gave Yogi £5 mil, I reckon we would be knocking on the door, we are only 3 players short of being good enough IMO.

[NAE NOOKIE]

KEEPER ?

WHITTAKER JONES BAMBA MURPHY

ZEMMAMA BROWN THOMSON ( sorry ) RIORDAN

O'CONNOR FLETCHER


BENCH .... STOKES, MURRAY, BOOZY, HOGG, SPROULE

......... SIR FRANK JUST OUSIDE THE REQUIRED ERA OR HE WOULD HAVE BEEN CAPTAIN

Yes a team outside the ugly sisters could win the league.

:agree:

[clerriehibs]

Yes ... nothing stays the same forever. They might leave, scottish football might fold, and reincarnate in some form or other, but you can be sure they won't be where they for ever. Not saying anything like that will happen in the lifetime of anyone who's actually reading this, tho'!


But ... I think Hibs will win it in my remaining lifetime.

[Sas_The_Hibby]

I am relatively optimistic that it cold be done, ..........

If these four teams: Burley's Hearts, Mowbray's Hibs, McLean's DUFC and Ferguson or Smith's Aberdeen were lining up in this season's SPL, the repellent brothers would be lucky to finish top six.

........

I think the opposite, really, because four good sides would all take points off each other, as well as the OF, weakening the overall objective. I think it would take a weaker than normal OF and ONE very good side that took non-OF points consistently.

[weecounty hibby]

Nope, sorry folks, not gonna happen. If we, or DUFC, are still up close to them in January, expect to see players leave and head west. We are saying they are skint etc but if push came to shove they would still be able to conjour up more money than either Hibs or Utd could refuse

[NAE NOOKIE]

Yes ... nothing stays the same forever. They might leave, scottish football might fold, and reincarnate in some form or other, but you can be sure they won't be where they for ever. Not saying anything like that will happen in the lifetime of anyone who's actually reading this, tho'!


But ... I think Hibs will win it in my remaining lifetime.

I take it you dont smoke, drink or dally with loose women / men and are expecting to outlive your alloted 4 score years & 10.

Some of us are going to need a bit of luck to be around when Hibs win the league as it doesnt look like its going to happen soon. :greengrin

[Jack]

Impossible - it's against the Constitution!

Better look out, we're dangerously perched 2nd in the SPL.
The powers-that-be adopt a war of atricion in these circumstances.
I fancy numerous bookings today (for both sides) plus at least two players ordered off.
We (or any other team for that matter) can't be allowed to upset the applecart. :grr:


Nope, sorry folks, not gonna happen. If we, or DUFC, are still up close to them in January, expect to see players leave and head west. We are saying they are skint etc but if push came to shove they would still be able to conjour up more money than either Hibs or Utd could refuse

Two of the reasons no-one outside the OF will win the SPL while the Glasgow Mafia are in charge.

Look at the teams contending at this time over the past few seasons. Diabolical refereeing decisions seeing players booked and sent off almost randomly while the OF kicked and cheated their way through the season.

Der Hun particularly will be able to buy in January to ensure a CL spot at the end of the season as they will have, or will be expecting, large sums of money from this years CL.

I’m still convinced the SPL was won ‘by agreement’ last season. With Der Hun in serious financial difficulty winning the league guaranteed their spot in the group stages of the CL; guaranteed the large sums of money; guaranteed continued OF dominance. Celtc being runners up kept them in the CL and in all honesty they would have expected, were more likely, to qualify for the league stages with a stronger pool of players than Der Hun.

[Killiehibbie]

We've got believe another manager like Ferguson will come along and assemble a team like he did at Aberdeen to win the League, Cups and maybe a European trophy. I hope that manager arrives at Easter Road but could live with him going to any club that sticks it right up the weegies, in some mad moments it wouldn't bother me that much even if it was hearts.

[weecounty hibby]

See my post above regarding finance etc. The same goes for managers as players. Ferguson and McLean came along at a time when the OF WERE NOT paying 5 and 10 times the salaries at other clubs. Nowadays these guys would have been away with their salaries up from about 300k to potentially 2 to 3 million.

[Dr_Regal]

Nope, sorry folks, not gonna happen. If we, or DUFC, are still up close to them in January, expect to see players leave and head west. We are saying they are skint etc but if push came to shove they would still be able to conjour up more money than either Hibs or Utd could refuse

I think this might be the difference this year. I dont think rangers or celtics will be able to afford any of our top players in January.

So if we could strengthen in January we're gonna hopefully have something to play for this year.

[Keith_M]

We've got believe another manager like Ferguson will come along and assemble a team like he did at Aberdeen to win the League, Cups and maybe a European trophy. I hope that manager arrives at Easter Road but could live with him going to any club that sticks it right up the weegies, in some mad moments it wouldn't bother me that much even if it was hearts.


That's a different era entirely. Not even Fergie at his peak could hope to hang on to his best players under the same conditions we have today. All it takes to stop a team that looks like they're going to be decent competition is for one of the OF to buy their best player(s) in January and stop them at a stroke.

You'd need both a decent manager and a club with the money, and the bottle, to pay competitive wages.

[CalgaryHibs]

Assuming Rantic don't get their move to the EPL, do people believe that only they can win the Scottish league? For ever?

Or will there ever be a successful challenge?

one word NO!

[crewetollhibee]

Thoroughly urge you all to read Martin Samuel's articles in the Daily Mail regarding Platini's on-going changes to the Champions League. He shows how a system of one or two dominant teams in a league will just keep the rest at bay for years to come due to crazy money available to CL qualifiers. What we have here will soon be replicated all over Europe if it hasn't already happened. You could look at pretty much any league in Europe now and dismiss all but 2 or 3 teams as possible league winners. Pretty sad really.:boo hoo:

[heretoday]

If I win the Euromillions I'll put out a League winning outfit that will thrash the OF. All their players will be begging to join up but none of them will be good enough.

Firstly i'd better start buying the tickets and finding out how to fill them in.......

[hibbytam]

Yes, but possibly not until the league reforms. Which the twins wont agree to lightly.

Still, they've been rank for a few years now, and are only really getting worse. Rangers especially.

[Richard Scott]

Other teams in the league are starting to gather pace and are building decent sides, sides that can easily compete with both sides of the old firm. Their dominance is slowly being taken away from them, and the SPL will be far more competitive in a few seasons time, if not sooner. Hearts proved it can be done.

[HibsNibs]

That's a different era entirely. Not even Fergie at his peak could hope to hang on to his best players under the same conditions we have today. All it takes to stop a team that looks like they're going to be decent competition is for one of the OF to buy their best player(s) in January and stop them at a stroke.

You'd need both a decent manager and a club with the money, and the bottle, to pay competitive wages.

Dunno about that, the huns are effectively bankrupt so won't be buying anyone any time soon which leaves only celtc & English clubs to worry about. An emasculated hunnery means 2nd place is now achievable in the next few years. Euro income to a low debt club like ours could be the mould breaker we all dream of. Better shadup now - starting to sound like a yam fud circa 2005.

[judas]

It is possible but it would rely on a number of things happenning at the same time.

Excluding the possibility that a wealthy investor comes in and buys success the recipe would be as follows:

A great manager.
A superb 1st team (ie the Mcleish or Mowbray teams)
No injuries to first team players.
Historically poor OF teams
OF teams ravaged by injury.

and ofcourse

a good dollup of luck.

[500miles]

I don't think it will happen this season. However, if we maintain investment, and a couple more of the 19's make the step up (Booth, Welsh and Moyes) this season, and get some experience under their belts, we could be looking at something a bit special next season.