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number9dream
14-10-2009, 08:36 AM
Our teetotal midfielder will feature on a BBC Radio Scotland 'special' on the booze culture in football tonight.
I wonder if he'll be asked any awkward questions about his team-mates being out on the lash?
I think it's on 7 til 8. Jim Spence usually hosts these kind of shows.

Danderhall Hibs
14-10-2009, 08:39 AM
Our teetotal midfielder will feature on a BBC Radio Scotland 'special' on the booze culture in football tonight.
I wonder if he'll be asked any awkward questions about his team-mates being out on the lash?
I think it's on 7 til 8. Jim Spence usually hosts these kind of shows.

That’ll be interesting.

I just read an interview with Steven Fletcher and in it he said that it’s a different regime at Burnley to what he’s used to. He gets finished at 330 down there, whereas up here it was 1230. WHY?!

Mind you when JC tried to get them to be proper pros they ran to Rod’s house to grass on him.

ahibby
14-10-2009, 08:41 AM
I thought those half day sessions were a thing of the past. Jeez not bad money for six half days a week.

bingo70
14-10-2009, 08:46 AM
That’ll be interesting.

I just read an interview with Steven Fletcher and in it he said that it’s a different regime at Burnley to what he’s used to. He gets finished at 330 down there, whereas up here it was 1230. WHY?!

Mind you when JC tried to get them to be proper pros they ran to Rod’s house to grass on him.

I read that as well.

He said everyone was much fitter and sharper down south as they train harder and for longer, i'm the same as you, i can't understand why that would be the case :confused:

I can understand why the best clubs in the world will always have better players and better teams but for the life of me i can't understand why the better teams have fitter players, if anything we should be fitter to try and compensate for having less ability.

hibsbollah
14-10-2009, 08:49 AM
Drunken footballers tend to have more imagination than teetotalers (see George Best, Jim Baxter, Latapy, Gazza). Rankin should get off his high horse and have a 12 pint bender, it might help his game:duck::devil:

Steve-O
14-10-2009, 08:49 AM
I read that as well.

He said everyone was much fitter and sharper down south as they train harder and for longer, i'm the same as you, i can't understand why that would be the case :confused:

I can understand why the best clubs in the world will always have better players and better teams but for the life of me i can't understand why the better teams have fitter players, if anything we should be fitter to try and compensate for having less ability.

Exactly.

The impression it gives is that the players are happy to go through the motions and play well once in a while when they are at 'diddy' teams like Hibs, but when they get their big move, they realise they won't get away with their pish because they can easily be replaced, so they suddenly knuckle down and start trying harder.

Fletcher is by no means the first person to make these comments either.

Training from 10am - 12.30pm is simply outrageous for a full time SPL professional!

jdships
14-10-2009, 08:51 AM
That’ll be interesting.

I just read an interview with Steven Fletcher and in it he said that it’s a different regime at Burnley to what he’s used to. He gets finished at 330 down there, whereas up here it was 1230. WHY?!

Mind you when JC tried to get them to be proper pros they ran to Rod’s house to grass on him.


Think you are wrong on that one.
The boys I know are at EM well into the afternoon on most days at least

To OP

Don't quite see what it has to do with Rankin as to how his team mates run their lives .
If they break the law then it is a management problem other than that it is down to the individual surely as to how he conducts himself in his free time

:confused:

Steve-O
14-10-2009, 08:53 AM
Think you are wrong on that one.
The boys I know are at EM well into the afternoon on most days at least

:confused:

Since Hughes came or before that?

jdships
14-10-2009, 08:59 AM
Since Hughes came or before that?

Since Yogi arrived the young players , at least, are encouraged to put in extra work on aspects of their game as advised by the coaches .
This happens in the afternoons.

A friend has a son playing for a top six Championship side in England and he tells me the laddie is in the house most days by 13.30/14.00 with Sunday and one day a week free except where treatment for injury is involved.
He is " advised ..... not to consume alchol within 36 hours of a fixture".

Perspective
14-10-2009, 09:01 AM
Think you are wrong on that one.
The boys I know are at EM well into the afternoon on most days at least

To OP

Don't quite see what it has to do with Rankin as to how his team mates run their lives .
If they break the law then it is a management problem other than that it is down to the individual surely as to how he conducts himself in his free time

:confused:

The OP was quoting Steven Fletcher on the 12.30 time - that's when he said he'd be home for. No reason why he couldn't have stayed beyond that to work on his game. In recent years the likes of Gary Caldwell have also made comments about becoming more professional since they left the club (giving up alcohol in his case).

Rankin is the fittest player at the club according to the most recent tests, so he's qualified to speak.

Say what you want about his football ability, but by being as fit as he can be he's getting the most out of himself as a player. Can some of our more naturally gifted squad members say that?

Delboy*
14-10-2009, 09:12 AM
Firstly, i like a drink.

I do feel that the issue isnt about the drink culture in football but the drink culture in society.
Lets all remember that these guys are just like you n me n we all grow up in the same society (to some degree!)
Attitudes towards Bevvy are honestly, quite disgusting and im only just realising, at 32, just how much damage drinking heavilly has done to my body and am only just beggining to wisen up to it.
Christ, i was just reading in the papers that after 20 years of 'caining it' Liam Gallagher has realised that he has to calm it down!!!

Football seems to get it tight for this issue but i personally think the issue is wider spread with people getting smashed all weekend (sometimes more) havin a pop at a footballer for havin a bevvy.

Players should only drink on nights that are allowed by the club and should be educated by the club as to what is acceptable morally and for the health and fitness of their bodies. Anything above that should be dealt with in the right way by the club.

P.s. Dont believe all you read in the papers mind!

Steve-O
14-10-2009, 09:16 AM
My main issue with footballers drinking is that we are falling SO far behind other countries and the constant bevvying that goes on must be a part of it since almost all these foreign players seem to look after theirselves a lot better.

It is ingrained in our culture though and for most Scottish players it seems that once they reach a certain level, they're satisfied with their lot (and pay packet), and don't bother striving for anything more - i.e. becoming legitimately world class.

I don't think it's asking much for Scotland to produce just ONE world class player, but at this rate I doubt it will happen anytime soon.

Barney McGrew
14-10-2009, 09:18 AM
Rankin should get off his high horse and have a 12 pint bender, it might help his game:duck::devil:

As far as I can see, he isn't on his high horse about anything.

Maybe you should wait and hear what he says before assuming that he is? :cool2:

Perspective
14-10-2009, 09:19 AM
My main issue with footballers drinking is that we are falling SO far behind other countries and the constant bevvying that goes on must be a part of it since almost all these foreign players seem to look after theirselves a lot better.

It is ingrained in our culture though and for most Scottish players it seems that once they reach a certain level, they're satisfied with their lot (and pay packet), and don't bother striving for anything more - i.e. becoming legitimately world class.

I don't think it's asking much for Scotland to produce just ONE world class player, but at this rate I doubt it will happen anytime soon.

Yip, that's what annoys me.

It's all very well people saying 'let them have a drink', but it takes the body about four days to deal with alcohol so it's obviously going to have an affect on performance. There is no point in clubs investing heavily on the sports science side of things to get a 5% improvement if players drink it away.

hibsbollah
14-10-2009, 09:21 AM
As far as I can see, he isn't on his high horse about anything.

Maybe you should wait and hear what he says before assuming that he is? :cool2:

...it was very slightly tongue in cheek:cool2:

I also forgot Garrincha, Gerd Muller, Puskas, Filipe Morais and Yashin:agree:

jdships
14-10-2009, 09:25 AM
The OP was quoting Steven Fletcher on the 12.30 time - that's when he said he'd be home for. No reason why he couldn't have stayed beyond that to work on his game. In recent years the likes of Gary Caldwell have also made comments about becoming more professional since they left the club (giving up alcohol in his case).

Rankin is the fittest player at the club according to the most recent tests, so he's qualified to speak.

Say what you want about his football ability, but by being as fit as he can be he's getting the most out of himself as a player. Can some of our more naturally gifted squad members say that?


Can't argue with that !!
When I played , many years ago, we were expected to work on our fitness outwith the official training times .
We were expected to "refrain form drinking from 1700 Thursday" when it was a Saturday fixture .
One manager even told us ".... if you are going to have sex make sure you only do so more than 48 hours before a match and then only once " !!!!! .:greengrin
Leave you to work out what the reaction to that was !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Diets were loosely administered by the clubs in the form of pamphlets advising on the right food to eat etc.

I would imagine that it is still very much down to the individual player as to how he maintains his fitness and how he runs his life
The game has changed dramatically even in the last ten years and as you say a player should aim to get as much out of himself as possible.
The career of a pro footballer is a short and hopefully a profitable one.
As John Greig once said " I made up my mind to enjoy my football career as much as possible as I am not practicing for the next time round " !!!!!!!

:greengrin:wink:

offshorehibby
14-10-2009, 09:52 AM
Firstly, i like a drink.

I do feel that the issue isnt about the drink culture in football but the drink culture in society.
Lets all remember that these guys are just like you n me n we all grow up in the same society (to some degree!)
Attitudes towards Bevvy are honestly, quite disgusting and im only just realising, at 32, just how much damage drinking heavilly has done to my body and am only just beggining to wisen up to it.
Christ, i was just reading in the papers that after 20 years of 'caining it' Liam Gallagher has realised that he has to calm it down!!!

Football seems to get it tight for this issue but i personally think the issue is wider spread with people getting smashed all weekend (sometimes more) havin a pop at a footballer for havin a bevvy.

Players should only drink on nights that are allowed by the club and should be educated by the club as to what is acceptable morally and for the health and fitness of their bodies. Anything above that should be dealt with in the right way by the club.

P.s. Dont believe all you read in the papers mind!


These guys are not like you and me. From an early age they have played football. As they get older they realise they are good at it and eventually get signed by a professional club. From here on in they should be making an effort to be the best possible.
What other sport do the top people head out on the lash 2 or 3 nights a week.

hibsbollah
14-10-2009, 09:54 AM
What other sport do the top people head out on the lash 2 or 3 nights a week.

Rugby League.

RIP
14-10-2009, 09:57 AM
That’ll be interesting.

I just read an interview with Steven Fletcher and in it he said that it’s a different regime at Burnley to what he’s used to. He gets finished at 330 down there, whereas up here it was 1230. WHY?!

Mind you when JC tried to get them to be proper pros they ran to Rod’s house to grass on him.

Funny how JH is implementing pretty much the same regime as JC - Diet, Sports Science, conditioning, lifestyle coaching, new training methods, 100% commitment.

Rather than complaining, the players are lining up to say how much they are enjoying the new regime. Just shows that it's not the product but how you sell it that counts.

JC and JH are both Hibs Heroes - I guess JH had a lot more man-management experience, humility and humour to draw on when getting the players on board with his ideas?

jgl07
14-10-2009, 10:40 AM
I thought those half day sessions were a thing of the past. Jeez not bad money for six half days a week.
Certainly not a thing of the past for Hearts. Do they not have to be out of Riccarton by 12:30?

silverhibee
14-10-2009, 10:52 AM
That’ll be interesting.

I just read an interview with Steven Fletcher and in it he said that it’s a different regime at Burnley to what he’s used to. He gets finished at 330 down there, whereas up here it was 1230. WHY?!

Mind you when JC tried to get them to be proper pros they ran to Rod’s house to grass on him.

Changed days, Yogi now has the players doing double sessions most days at training now, and do not get away from East Mains till around 3.30 as well.

blackpoolhibs
14-10-2009, 11:05 AM
Funny how JH is implementing pretty much the same regime as JC - Diet, Sports Science, conditioning, lifestyle coaching, new training methods, 100% commitment.

Rather than complaining, the players are lining up to say how much they are enjoying the new regime. Just shows that it's not the product but how you sell it that counts.

JC and JH are both Hibs Heroes - I guess JH had a lot more man-management experience, humility and humour to draw on when getting the players on board with his ideas?

Exactly.:top marks If the players are not happy with this extra work, why are we not hearing about a posse of players banging down petries front door? Perhaps its the way yogi goes about his man management, rather than the extra work the players were complaining about.:agree:

Danderhall Hibs
14-10-2009, 11:11 AM
Think you are wrong on that one.
The boys I know are at EM well into the afternoon on most days at least


As has been said - it was Fletcher himself that said it.


Funny how JH is implementing pretty much the same regime as JC - Diet, Sports Science, conditioning, lifestyle coaching, new training methods, 100% commitment.

Rather than complaining, the players are lining up to say how much they are enjoying the new regime. Just shows that it's not the product but how you sell it that counts.

JC and JH are both Hibs Heroes - I guess JH had a lot more man-management experience, humility and humour to draw on when getting the players on board with his ideas?

Good point about the man-management stuff but it might also be that a different set of players (which it most definitely is!) are happy to go along with it, whereas the old guard couldn't be arsed.


Changed days, Yogi now has the players doing double sessions most days at training now, and do not get away from East Mains till around 3.30 as well.

That's good to hear.

TrinityHibs
14-10-2009, 11:16 AM
Drunken footballers tend to have more imagination than teetotalers (see George Best, Jim Baxter, Latapy, Gazza). Rankin should get off his high horse and have a 12 pint bender, it might help his game:duck::devil:

Yon boy Messi's liver must be burst then and Ronaldo's DT's are a thing of legend

hibsbollah
14-10-2009, 11:18 AM
Yon boy Messi's liver must be burst then and Ronaldo's DT's are a thing of legend

They are the exception to the rule:agree:

Danderhall Hibs
14-10-2009, 11:20 AM
They are the exception to the rule:agree:

I disagree - I think the players you listed are the exception to the rule.

ahibby
14-10-2009, 11:27 AM
The OP was quoting Steven Fletcher on the 12.30 time - that's when he said he'd be home for. No reason why he couldn't have stayed beyond that to work on his game. In recent years the likes of Gary Caldwell have also made comments about becoming more professional since they left the club (giving up alcohol in his case).

Rankin is the fittest player at the club according to the most recent tests, so he's qualified to speak.

Say what you want about his football ability, but by being as fit as he can be he's getting the most out of himself as a player. Can some of our more naturally gifted squad members say that?

Being the fittest player at the club doesn't help you get the ball on target from 15 yards unfortunately, while the less fit players can. There is no substitute for skill, not even hard work unfortunately.

hibsbollah
14-10-2009, 11:33 AM
I disagree - I think the players you listed are the exception to the rule.

Theres really no way of knowing I suppose. Would a sober Filippe Morais suddenly morph into a latter date Jinky Johnstone when deprived of his Blue WKD binge of a Saturday? Or would Lev Yashin have been just a Simon Brown-type goalie had he not been 'Yashin out on the Lashin'?

We'll never know.

Mon Dieu4
14-10-2009, 11:36 AM
Yon boy Messi's liver must be burst then and Ronaldo's DT's are a thing of legend

It's a well known fact that wee Lionel gets a shipment of Blue Nun delived to his door every second day, you want to see him polish that lot off :bitchy:

Delboy*
14-10-2009, 11:39 AM
These guys are not like you and me. From an early age they have played football. As they get older they realise they are good at it and eventually get signed by a professional club. From here on in they should be making an effort to be the best possible.
What other sport do the top people head out on the lash 2 or 3 nights a week.

Naw they are some kind of higher people, like pop stars and weather presenters.
Get real. if anyone goes out on the lash for 3 nights then none will be very effective at their jobs in the morning. is that exceptable?
Face up to it, its everyones responsibility so no one is different.
As a nation we need to start looking at bevvy in a more responsible manner n that will have a knock-on effect to footballers, bank managers, bin-men n weather presenters.

TrinityHibs
14-10-2009, 11:45 AM
They are the exception to the rule:agree:

Does that rule include Thierry "Rum and Pep" Henry?:rolleyes:

Perspective
14-10-2009, 11:47 AM
Being the fittest player at the club doesn't help you get the ball on target from 15 yards unfortunately, while the less fit players can. There is no substitute for skill, not even hard work unfortunately.

That's why I said 'say what you want about his football ability'.

My point is that a clean lifestyle off the park should be a given for any footballer. That means no alcohol - at the very worst during a limited period in pre-season.

I understand not every player will feel the same way (a lot of players don't even love the game they are naturally gifted at) but you should want to get the most out of yourself.

If you combine natural ability (like Riordan's) with the work ethic of a Rankin then you are pretty much unstoppable. And it is a lot easier for Riordan to brush up on his off-field dedication than it is for someone like Rankin not blessed with obvious natural ability.

And why is someone told to get off their high horse for not drinking? It's only in a country like this that someone would take a slagging for avoiding alcohol. Really it's to be admired.

hibsbollah
14-10-2009, 11:48 AM
Does that rule include Thierry "Rum and Pep" Henry?:rolleyes:

I think you're on the windup now. Every man and his dog knows Thierry has a peppermint allergy.

TrinityHibs
14-10-2009, 11:55 AM
I think you're on the windup now. Every man and his dog knows Thierry has a peppermint allergy.

You're right but it does get you thinking. The bar tab for that Barcelona team that turned up for the friendly at Murrayfield must have been enormous.

rubber mal
14-10-2009, 12:00 PM
Funny how JH is implementing pretty much the same regime as JC - Diet, Sports Science, conditioning, lifestyle coaching, new training methods, 100% commitment.

Rather than complaining, the players are lining up to say how much they are enjoying the new regime. Just shows that it's not the product but how you sell it that counts.

JC and JH are both Hibs Heroes - I guess JH had a lot more man-management experience, humility and humour to draw on when getting the players on board with his ideas?

:agree:I think you're bang on the money there, 49YAH.

WellingtonHibby
14-10-2009, 12:09 PM
My main issue with footballers drinking is that we are falling SO far behind other countries and the constant bevvying that goes on must be a part of it since almost all these foreign players seem to look after theirselves a lot better.

It is ingrained in our culture though and for most Scottish players it seems that once they reach a certain level, they're satisfied with their lot (and pay packet), and don't bother striving for anything more - i.e. becoming legitimately world class.

I don't think it's asking much for Scotland to produce just ONE world class player, but at this rate I doubt it will happen anytime soon.

Darren Fletcher is a world class player. On current form he is demanding to be picked, first on the team sheet, for the world biggest(?) club. Fact.

Aldoo
14-10-2009, 12:31 PM
I remember in days gone by on Hibs.net when subjects like this popped you would get quite a few posts saying 'players are entitled to get bevvied after a week of work like the rest of us,' 'they are only human' 'whats wrong with a few pints?'

So far (I'll admit I've not read all the comments) I've not come across any posts like this yet, looks like a culture change has swept through this messageboard and more and more are seeing the benefits of a footballer being a 'professional' in every sense of the word. If only all our players were of the same mindset.

Perspective
14-10-2009, 01:55 PM
Darren Fletcher is a world class player. On current form he is demanding to be picked, first on the team sheet, for the world biggest(?) club. Fact.

Agreed. And he's teetotal too.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1177813/DARREN-FLETCHER-TALKS-TO-MARTIN-SAMUEL-Teetotaller-Fergies-enforcer-learning-Keane-sitting-Uniteds-Champions-League-triumph.html

MozHibs1875
14-10-2009, 02:11 PM
Certainly not a thing of the past for Hearts. Do they not have to be out of Riccarton by 12:30?

Is that actually the case , or just a rumour , anyone know for sure ?

Funny if it's true .:ostrich::jamboclow:feed:

Kaiser1962
14-10-2009, 02:44 PM
Funny how JH is implementing pretty much the same regime as JC - Diet, Sports Science, conditioning, lifestyle coaching, new training methods, 100% commitment.

Rather than complaining, the players are lining up to say how much they are enjoying the new regime. Just shows that it's not the product but how you sell it that counts.

JC and JH are both Hibs Heroes - I guess JH had a lot more man-management experience, humility and humour to draw on when getting the players on board with his ideas?

Don't rule out the fact that JH can give them a thick lug if they don't agree with him. As an example as to how to live healthily and to make the most of what you have then JC is a prime example and could be held up as a model of good practice. Shame it didn't work out for him because his ideas were the way ahead for Scottish football and it's unfortunate his abilities/experience wasn't.

leither17
14-10-2009, 09:02 PM
...it was very slightly tongue in cheek:cool2:

I also forgot Garrincha, Gerd Muller, Puskas, Filipe Morais and Yashin:agree:

:greengrin

Steve-O
15-10-2009, 07:04 AM
Agreed. And he's teetotal too.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1177813/DARREN-FLETCHER-TALKS-TO-MARTIN-SAMUEL-Teetotaller-Fergies-enforcer-learning-Keane-sitting-Uniteds-Champions-League-triumph.html

Ah, what a coincidence eh? :wink:

Just goes to show really.

cwilliamson85
15-10-2009, 07:34 AM
I am sure I read during the world cup in Germany when the English WAGS where running the show Sven came out and said there was a problem with British society.

Then on the following page it had the Brazil squad out in a club with there partners having a great time.

It’s not about going out and getting legless all the time. It’s about going out enjoying yourself and knowing what you should do as a role model and a professional athlete.

Jack
15-10-2009, 07:51 AM
Being the fittest player at the club doesn't help you get the ball on target from 15 yards unfortunately, while the less fit players can. There is no substitute for skill, not even hard work unfortunately.

I don’t think what folk are saying is that you can only be one or the other. Turning your argument around ...

Being fit doesn’t necessarily make you a good footballer/sportsman. But if a gifted player, like Deeks, was as fit as say John Rankin is or John Collins was, not that we would see it, but what a fantastic sight that would be. Giggs.

Eh lad. When I were young our leagues were sprinkled with failed players who ‘were on the books’. No doubting their talent, or their drinking ability.

I think for most of us ungifted, frustrated [ex]players its bloody annoying to see such talent wasted, or at least not making the most of it.

Onceinawhile
15-10-2009, 09:08 AM
Is that actually the case , or just a rumour , anyone know for sure ?

Funny if it's true .:ostrich::jamboclow:feed:

It's not true, I've seen Hearts players in the gym later than half twelve, and by quite a bit

Danderhall Hibs
15-10-2009, 09:30 AM
It's not true, I've seen Hearts players in the gym later than half twelve, and by quite a bit

Have you seen them out on the pitches after lunch?

Bad Martini
15-10-2009, 12:03 PM
Have you seen them out on the pitches after lunch?

I suspect the shotgun bolt from Riccarton to Gorgie will keep them fit, as they dodge paying their bill at half 12 :greengrin

HIBERNIALEITH
15-10-2009, 08:09 PM
My main issue with footballers drinking is that we are falling SO far behind other countries and the constant bevvying that goes on must be a part of it since almost all these foreign players seem to look after theirselves a lot better.

It is ingrained in our culture though and for most Scottish players it seems that once they reach a certain level, they're satisfied with their lot (and pay packet), and don't bother striving for anything more - i.e. becoming legitimately world class.

I don't think it's asking much for Scotland to produce just ONE world class player, but at this rate I doubt it will happen anytime soon.

You have a point regarding drinking culture in different countries. We have a bevvy culture, why? I don't know. France, Spain etc all drink daily i.e. wine with their meal and they offer it to their children and the kids grow with a different attitude towards alcohol. The Government are now discouraging children to even be in the vicinity of people drinking here, which, in MY opinion, will probably lead them to the parks etc and then end up getting totally sloshed! The Government banned smoking so I expect quite a few parents now tend to spend a weekend night staying in and having a drink in their house rather than going out. The kids will see this, but will not be educated in a sense that it is the right way to socially drink. I'm beginning to bore myself but I know what I mean, just hope I've put my point across.

HIBERNIALEITH
15-10-2009, 08:15 PM
I remember in days gone by on Hibs.net when subjects like this popped you would get quite a few posts saying 'players are entitled to get bevvied after a week of work like the rest of us,' 'they are only human' 'whats wrong with a few pints?'

So far (I'll admit I've not read all the comments) I've not come across any posts like this yet, looks like a culture change has swept through this messageboard and more and more are seeing the benefits of a footballer being a 'professional' in every sense of the word. If only all our players were of the same mindset.

Aye, that was the days pre J.Collins! Then every Hibbee decided to change! ...........Their ideas anyway! :thumbsup: