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Michael Wimmer off to a winning start on his Fir Park debut.

It was everything that a Motherwell fan could’ve wished for on Wimmers’ home debut, a fresh tactical style and a first win in seven that will give hope to supporters. After promising “proactive football”, the well fans were encouraged to see the team play through the thirds with a fast-paced, creative build-up play that caused plenty of problems for the already struggling Dundee defence. You could see the style that Wimmer demands from his players already being implemented on the park. Off the ball, his team marked well, with a press that did not allow Dundee to play through the thirds. By marking both full-backs from goal kicks it forced the keeper to play to his centre-backs. As a result of this, the defenders then resorted to going long frequently, which allowed both Liam Gordon and Dan Casey to win headers and start a new phase of play for Motherwell. On the ball, his team were direct and looked to utilise the midfield players before spreading the play wide. They kept the ball on the ground and caused havoc for the Dundee defence. The only time Motherwell struggled was in the stages leading up to Dundees’ goal; they seemed to sit back and invite play onto them, resulting in Dundee grabbing a goal back through Simon Murray. Almost instantly after conceding, the Motherwell team were back to the standard that they had shown in the first half and were rewarded with a match-winning goal through Dan Casey once again. You can see that the players are ready to adapt to their new managers’ style, and after some time to integrate what Wimmer wants, the team could be in contention for a top-six position in what is already a competitive league.

February 27, 2025

Pedro’s Bold Prediction Pays Off as Scotland’s Women Head for Finland

Under the lights at Hibernian’s Easter Road, Scotland’s female national team put on a show. A 4 goal decimation of the Hungarians sets Pedro Martinez Losa’s side up for a mouth-watering play off final tie against Finland as they mount their charge to a place at the Euros next summer. The lead was taken after 17 minutes and the own goal by Lauren Brzykcy was doubled shortly after by Erin Cuthbert who rifled a shot high past the Hungarian stopper who had a performance to forget. Real Madrid star Caroline Weir added the 3rd after a smart piece of play from Martha Thomas in the 2nd half. Creator turns provider for the 4th goal as Thomas tucks the ball away to seal the game for the Scots. Scotland boss Pedro Martinez Losa was under the spotlight after stating there was “no way” his side would lose at Easter Road and he will be breathing a sigh of relief his team was able to deliver. Martinez Losa has been under fire recently with his squad selections. Criticised for minimising his use of the youth squads with players such as Emma Lawton, Leah Eddie and Eilidh Shore shining at the top level of the Scottish game with Celtic, Rangers and Hearts respectively, being left out and continuing with a team that is aging. Only 3 of the current squad are 23 or younger, but if they make it past Finland and into Euro 2025 then his methods may just be seen to have rewards. On the match, Martinez Losa commented: “We have probably seen the best version of a lot of players and that’s what we want to repeat against Finland. We are two teams at similar levels, we have played against them before and we had the feeling that we could beat them” Scotland return to Easter Road on the 27th of November for their play off clash against Finland, before heading across the water to play the 2nd leg on the 3rd of December as both teams vie for a place in Switzerland next summer.

October 30, 2024

Rangers recorded a £17.2million loss despite “record-breaking revenues.”

Rangers Football Club has announced its freedom from all legal claims for the first time in over a decade. Despite this milestone, the club reported a significant net loss of £17.2m this financial year, a sharp increase from last year’s £4.1m deficit, though it achieved record-breaking revenue and income up to June. Earlier this year, the club settled a longstanding dispute with Elite Sports Group Ltd over their Hummel-branded kits. Financial records highlight substantial growth, with core revenue reaching £88.3m, total income at £94.2m, and commercial revenue of £67m—figures Chief Financial Officer James Taylor called “outstanding.” Operating losses before accounting for player trading came in at £2m, a marked improvement from last season’s £10.5m. The financial hit reflects the restructuring of the first-team squad, including a reported £8m loss from player trading. Rangers also reduced overall squad expenses by £2.5m and expect further cuts of £6m next season following summer 2024 transfers. Under a revamped recruitment strategy introduced by Football Recruitment Director Nils Koppen, Rangers is prioritising a younger, more balanced squad. Transfer expenses reached £13.6m, offset by £5.6m in player sales, with the club aiming for a sustainable transfer model. In the face of growing financial pressures, Rangers raised its borrowing from £16.5m to £28.4m, securing an additional £8.6m from existing investors to support future growth. Interim Chairman John Gilligan acknowledged the transformative period at Rangers, noting that John Bennett stepped down from his chairman duties to focus on his health, while Chief Executive James Bisgrove moved to the Saudi Premier League, and Creag Robertson departed as Director of Football Operations. Gilligan assured supporters of a strong executive team in place, as they look for a new CEO. Gilligan also apologised for delays in the Copland Road Stand renovations, which required four matches to be relocated to Hampden Park, and commended the fans for their exceptional support. He expressed confidence that the club is on track to meet its strategic objectives after a challenging yet productive year.

October 29, 2024

15 point deduction and administration for Inverness CT.

James Stephen, Malcolm Cohen and Shane Crooks at BDO have been appointed Joint Administrators of Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club (Tuesday 22nd October 2024). A spokesperson at BDO said: “We can confirm a formal appointment has been made and Inverness Caledonian Thistle is now in administration. We understand this will be a difficult and uncertain time for the club, its staff, its loyal fan base and the local community. The Administrators will be in a position to provide further information and their plan to seek to secure the long term future of the Club in due course.” “The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has today confirmed the imposition of a 15-point deduction for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, as per SPFL rules on clubs suffering an insolvency event.”

October 22, 2024

Team News and Build-Up: Atalanta vs Celtic

Atalanta will have to do without key players Rafael Toloi, Marco Brescianini, and Odilon Kossounou, all sidelined due to injury. However, Sead Kolasinac is expected to bolster the defence, having missed their 2-0 victory over Venezia at the weekend. In that match, Gian Piero Gasperini started with a front three of Charles De Ketelaere, Ademola Lookman, and Mateo Retegui. However, with this clash in mind, all three were substituted before the 70th minute to preserve their energy for the midweek fixture. Celtic are facing their own injury concerns, as Greg Taylor has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Cameron Carter-Vickers is a doubt and will undergo a late fitness test, but having not featured since matchday one, his return looks unlikely. This opens the door for Auston Trusty to partner Liam Scales in the heart of Celtic’s defence. Predicted Line-ups Atalanta (3-4-3): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, Ederson, De Roon, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Valle; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Furuhashi, Maeda Key Match Facts This encounter marks the first time Atalanta and Celtic have faced each other, and also Atalanta’s maiden European match against a Scottish team. Celtic’s recent record against Italian sides in the UEFA Champions League makes for grim reading. They have lost their last seven matches by a combined score of 15-1, with their last win dating back to October 2007 against AC Milan. Even more concerning is their away form in Italy, having lost all seven of their Champions League trips there. Atalanta, meanwhile, will be aiming to win consecutive UEFA Champions League games for the first time since their memorable run to the quarter-finals in 2020. Celtic’s away struggles in Europe are well-documented, having lost eight of their last nine Champions League matches on the road, conceding an average of four goals per game. Atalanta come into this game on a solid defensive run, with four consecutive clean sheets in major European competitions. The last Italian side to achieve five on the trot was AC Milan in April 2023. Celtic have endured a difficult defensive spell in the Champions League, conceding more goals than any other team since the start of the 2022-23 season (38 goals at an average of 2.7 per game). Their xG per shot faced (0.13) is also the worst among teams who have played at least 10 matches in that period. That said, Celtic have won two of their last three Champions League fixtures, and a victory here would see them match a feat last achieved under Gordon Strachan in 2007—winning three games in a four-match stretch. Ademola Lookman has been in sparkling form for Atalanta in Europe, with six goals and two assists in his last five starts in major European competitions. Only three forwards have regained possession in the final third more often than him in this season’s Champions League (4). Atalanta’s Lazar Samardzic was a creative force against Shakhtar Donetsk, with six chances created and seven successful dribbles, becoming the first player since Lionel Messi in 2019 to achieve both metrics in a single Champions League match. For Celtic, Daizen Maeda is on a hot streak, having scored in both of their opening Champions League games this season. If he scores in this match, he’ll become the first Celtic player to net in three consecutive Champions League fixtures.