Ultimately a golden opportunity missed

[jambmoz]

With Rangers becoming ever stronger and Celtic likely to keep spending, cup finals will be harder to reach. Will yesterday’s valiant effort be our best shot for a while?? It was some effort all the same.

[i wish jj was my dad]

Just now, jambmoz said:

With Rangers becoming ever stronger and Celtic likely to keep spending, cup finals will be harder to reach. Will yesterday’s valiant effort be our best shot for a while?? It was some effort all the same.

It was a big opportunity missed but if we can prduce talent like Hickey, Harry, Andy Iving, Connor Smith etc and complement them with great pros like Berra and Naismith there could easily be many more opportunities to come. 

[Rudi5kaceldream1ng]

4 minutes ago, jambmoz said:

With Rangers becoming ever stronger and Celtic likely to keep spending, cup finals will be harder to reach. Will yesterday’s valiant effort be our best shot for a while?? It was some effort all the same.

So it wasn’t exactly the same or much worse  in 1996/1998 with the riches in the game then? Get Head out of clouds man-it’s cup football anything can happen and yes hearts will be in another final within 5 year since imo.

[indianajones]

Rangers will implode shortly and they are nothing special at the moment really. 

 

Celtic will be weaker with Lennon in charge. 

 

If we can get our own house in order we should be in a good position to challenge for silverware pretty soon. 

[cheetah]

If we get an easy draw every year we will be in many cup finals to come. 

[Francis Albert]

4 minutes ago, Rudi5kaceldream1ng said:

So it wasn’t exactly the same or much worse  in 1996/1998 with the riches in the game then? Get Head out of clouds man-it’s cup football anything can happen and yes hearts will be in another final within 5 year since imo.

5 years?.Maybe greedy or just mot getting any younger but hope it will be sooner than that.

[rudi must stay]

Just now, cheetah said:

If we get an easy draw every year we will be in many cup finals to come. 

 

Spot on. As another said the next few years could be good. The mentality is changing, we have young guys who are good enough and believe in themselves. 

 

 

[merseyjambo]

6 minutes ago, indianajones said:

Rangers will implode shortly and they are nothing special at the moment really. 

 

Celtic will be weaker with Lennon in charge. 

 

If we can get our own house in order we should be in a good position to challenge for silverware pretty soon. 

 

I’m not sure about Rangers as they have signed some pretty decent players for this season already (Jones, Hastie, Stewart) and if Slippy G stays I can see them winning league next year. All this about their finances but still no signs of it happening.

 

Agree re Celtic I think they will be weaker with Lennon in charge. He’ll be the man who blows 10 in a row. Poor manager appointed as cheap option 

[Alex Kintner]

22 minutes ago, jambmoz said:

With Rangers becoming ever stronger and Celtic likely to keep spending, cup finals will be harder to reach. Will yesterday’s valiant effort be our best shot for a while?? It was some effort all the same.

 

Nah not at all. During 96-98 the old firm had world class players like Laudrup, Gascoigne, Larsson and Di Canio yet we reached three finals in that period. 

Edited May 26, 2019 by To Be Frank

[Rudi5kaceldream1ng]

11 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

5 years?.Maybe greedy or just mot getting any younger but hope it will be sooner than that.

I’m thinking 2-3 to be more specific  tbh. If we keep the spine of the side together with the youth coming through-players like hickey and Cochrane are only going to improve.

[Bunny Munro]

This won't even be our last final this year.

 

The wee cup is ours. 

[goldie83]

5 minutes ago, Bunny Munro said:

This won't even be our last final this year.

 

The wee cup is ours. 

[Jean Louis Valois]

19 minutes ago, merseyjambo said:

 

I’m not sure about Rangers as they have signed some pretty decent players for this season already (Jones, Hastie, Stewart) and if Slippy G stays I can see them winning league next year. All this about their finances but still no signs of it happening.

 

Agree re Celtic I think they will be weaker with Lennon in charge. He’ll be the man who blows 10 in a row. Poor manager appointed as cheap option 

Those 3 players you mention don’t seem like anything to be majorly concerned about

[Cruyff Turn]

28 minutes ago, To Be Frank said:

 

Nah not at all. During 96-98 the old firm had world class players like Laudrup, Gascoigne, Larsson and Di Canio yet we reached three finals in that period. 

This. 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

No. Gave it everything. If we continue to give it everything all we can do. Vast improvement from Murrayfield and gained experience. Only by playing these games do you get better 

[Debut 4]

Hopefully we are entering another period where we’ve got our eye in on the cups. 

 

A bit the like 96-98 period mentioned earlier.  

 

Sometimes you build a momentum in the cups, it becomes a real focus in the psyche of the club. 

 

It felt like that in the mid 90s. The more we fell short and it kept getting mentioned in the media we hadn’t won a trophy since 1962, it almost became an obsession to end the barren run. 

[Spellczech]

Lennon won't even be able to attract the same players that Rodgers could. He is a frankly bizarre appointment, when Rangers have shown what a fillip a big name can be...

[Inch Hearts]

You can’t really guess how many times we will make finals or semis because it’s the luck of the draw plus only Aberdeen have been majorly consistent of getting there regularly and them, like us mid to late 90s are the second or third best side in the country.  We lack any consistency to do so at the moment but at least we can perhaps use yesterday as a sort of base to built on.  Alternatively it could also go the way of Motherwell who reached two finals in a season then struggled afterwards.  

[Inch Hearts]

Just now, Spellczech said:

Lennon won't even be able to attract the same players that Rodgers could. He is a frankly bizarre appointment, when Rangers have shown what a fillip a big name can be...

 

It’s a wonderful appointment that defies much logic at all.  

[Jingle Bells]

Hopefully some of the Scouts appointed recently are good at spotting good goal scorers/forwards. Given the "refereeing" in Scotland trying to beat the Uglies by fine margins is a bit of a waste of time.

[Maroon Sailor]

Hearts have won 3 trophies in nearly 60 years. The same amount as Celtic in the last 6 months.

 

Still do not get to as many finals as we should imo

 

The route this season was as easy as it gets

[Heartsofgold]

When Rodgers was in charge Celtic were (reasonably) willing to spend £9 million on a player to try and keep him happy. That player was the difference yesterday. There is No way the tightwads in charge of the biscuit tin there will back Lennon the same way. 

[Gorgie_Rules]

Think we need to get away from the mentality that we can’t reach the final more regularly. We are pretty much the 3rd biggest club in the country, and even when poor (like this season) we are still the 6th best. Any club in that position with a little luck in the draw included can make finals regularly. 

[Jamhammer]

To be honest I've not been that impressed with Rangers this season. Celtic, with Lennon at the helm will regress. Kilmarnck will miss Clarke, Hibs need a rebuild. I'm looking forward to next season. With a couple of additions and some of the young uns could be a good one

[amadjambo]

No doubt that was a huge opportunity missed. A great team performance ruined by a dodgy penalty/terrible goalkeeping, and one defensive lapse. To beat Celtic you can’t make mistakes like that.

[Central Belt 1874]

4 hours ago, To Be Frank said:

 

Nah not at all. During 96-98 the old firm had world class players like Laudrup, Gascoigne, Larsson and Di Canio yet we reached three finals in that period. 

 

If the right decisions are made this summer I have a feeling we could match or better the 96-98 period. 

 

The clubs in a great position just now, let's build on yesterday experience and make winning at Hampden a habit.

[Nookie Bear]

4 hours ago, jambmoz said:

With Rangers becoming ever stronger and Celtic likely to keep spending, cup finals will be harder to reach. Will yesterday’s valiant effort be our best shot for a while?? It was some effort all the same.

 

The opportunity was missed around the time Robbie left. The ship has sailed I’m afraid. 

[Inch Hearts]

10 minutes ago, Central Belt 1874 said:

 

If the right decisions are made this summer I have a feeling we could match or better the 96-98 period. 

 

The clubs in a great position just now, let's build on yesterday experience and make winning at Hampden a habit.

 

We just finished 6th twice, it’s not similar to 96-98 period at all where we finished 4th 4th 3rd.  Not that I don’t hope you’re right mind.  Build a side or squad to compete higher in the league and the cups will look after themselves. 

[Inch Hearts]

3 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

 

The opportunity was missed around the time Robbie left. The ship has sailed I’m afraid. 

 

It’s never too late - that’s the beauty of soccer ball. 

[Renault]

5 hours ago, jambmoz said:

With Rangers becoming ever stronger and Celtic likely to keep spending, cup finals will be harder to reach. Will yesterday’s valiant effort be our best shot for a while?? It was some effort all the same.

Come on mate, we'll win the cup again soon.....ish. You just have to look at the previous winners to see that we are going to do it again. Yesterday was a missed opportunity but we move forward as we always have done. I'm in no doubt I'll see a few more cup wins in my lifetime ps I'm 44

Edited May 26, 2019 by Renault

[Guest]

Every cup final lost is a golden opportunity missed. It could be argued killie, aberdeen and celtic might be weaker next season. Hibs too if their manager doesn’t get his massive squad overhaul right. I think cup semis and finals will come along more often. 

 

Agree with others, Lennon’s appointment seems a backwards step for them at a time when they should be making a statement of intent to see off any Rangers challenge and do better in Europe.

[upgotheheads]

Time to move on folks. I'm looking forward to a holiday and League cup (or whatever it's called these days)  starting in July. I'm almost glad that we're not in Europe because it puts unreasonable pressure on players physical and mentally.

 

We were the better side yesterday and they won the cup due to a diving £9 million cheat. my Celtic supporting pals are either looking sheepish or staying out of the way because they know it too. Not to worry though, they'll be back in a few days boasting about Ra Tic and their Brulliant world beaters. And they don't even go to games!

 

Even our fans were better on the day. ?

[JJ93]

If we had a full squad, we'd have turned them over. 

[merseyjambo]

20 hours ago, Jean Louis Valois said:

Those 3 players you mention don’t seem like anything to be majorly concerned about

 

Sorry but that’s crap, how many on here were clamouring for us to go after Jordan Jones. Hastie is a player who will improve and we’d all have taken the Greg Stewart that played at Kilmarnock not the one at Aberdeen. 

 

Rangers dont need to improve that much as Celtic under Lennon will not be the same as Celtic under Brenda because Lennon is nowhere near as good as Brenda as a manager and when they get humped out of CL and no one is scared of them in league, their 10 in a row dream will be gone

[Jambothump]

1 hour ago, Ray Gin said:

A bigger man would see he was wrong and apologise. 

 

 

To some one who has emotional and psychological major issues themselves, I'd hate to tip you over edge, to where you are going. 

[Jambothump]

Your issues BTW, not mine xxx

[Jambo83]

We had a 7 year absence between Scottish Cup Finals, I am confident under the current stewardship and with an improved infrastructure now in place, it won't be as long a wait for our next appearance.

[amadjambo]

19 hours ago, Jamhammer said:

To be honest I've not been that impressed with Rangers this season. Celtic, with Lennon at the helm will regress. Kilmarnck will miss Clarke, Hibs need a rebuild. I'm looking forward to next season. With a couple of additions and some of the young uns could be a good one

Rangers wiped the floor with us this season. Absolutely dominated us. 

Edited May 27, 2019 by amadjambo

[Romulus]

Amazing team performance but Zlamal and Berra cost us dearly with two individual errors that you simply cannot afford to make against a team as strong as them and given the fact that officials won’t hesitate to give them decisions...

[Jamhammer]

1 hour ago, amadjambo said:

Rangers wiped the floor with us this season. Absolutely dominated us. 

That’s more to do with how poor we were and our approach, particularly through there than them being great IMO

The “offside goal” game here was close. With a couple of decent additions and a fit Naismith  I don’t think they’re that far ahead of us 

Edited May 27, 2019 by Jamhammer

[Saint Jambo]

Not sure how you define 'golden opportunity'. We were up against a team with a vastly bigger budget and who have dominate trophies for the last 3 years. OK we went 1-0 up but at that point there were still 40minutes to play and we were a team carrying injuries. Some of our players were so out on their feet towards the end of the game that it wasn't a priority to take off a 16 year old suffering from cramp. There was an opportunity there, but I'd hardly say it was golden.

 

We really haven't made enough finals in recent times. I had a quick look at the last 20 years (to take a totally arbitrary timeframe). In that time we've been in 4 finals, Aberdeen in 6 and Hibs in 7.  Dundee Utd and Motherwell have both matched us with 4 finals, while Killie and Dunfermline are only one back on 3 finals. A non-OF team has made the final of a cup (Scottish or League) on 46 occassions. I don't think it being us on 4 occasions is a great return for the third biggest team in the country. (What we have done well is convert final appearances into trophies.) If we are well managed we should be qualifying for a final every two or three years I think.

 

So, no I don't think Sunday was our 'golden opportunity'. I'm optomistic. I expect more and better opportunities in coming years.

[JamboAl]

6 hours ago, Saint Jambo said:

Not sure how you define 'golden opportunity'. We were up against a team with a vastly bigger budget and who have dominate trophies for the last 3 years. OK we went 1-0 up but at that point there were still 40minutes to play and we were a team carrying injuries. Some of our players were so out on their feet towards the end of the game that it wasn't a priority to take off a 16 year old suffering from cramp. There was an opportunity there, but I'd hardly say it was golden.

 

We really haven't made enough finals in recent times. I had a quick look at the last 20 years (to take a totally arbitrary timeframe). In that time we've been in 4 finals, Aberdeen in 6 and Hibs in 7.  Dundee Utd and Motherwell have both matched us with 4 finals, while Killie and Dunfermline are only one back on 3 finals. A non-OF team has made the final of a cup (Scottish or League) on 46 occassions. I don't think it being us on 4 occasions is a great return for the third biggest team in the country. (What we have done well is convert final appearances into trophies.) If we are well managed we should be qualifying for a final every two or three years I think. 

 

So, no I don't think Sunday was our 'golden opportunity'. I'm optomistic. I expect more and better opportunities in coming years.

8

So you don't think going into admin should have had an adverse effect on our situation in recent years?

[7628mm]

On 26/05/2019 at 13:07, i wish jj was my dad said:

It was a big opportunity missed but if we can prduce talent like Hickey, Harry, Andy Iving, Connor Smith etc and complement them with great pros like Berra and Naismith there could easily be many more opportunities to come. 

 

We need to start using our talented youth more next season and I would hope that in the next 3 years we can be easily fighting for 3rd in the league with a strong "young" team and a smattering of seasoned senior professionals to assist.

We need less of the "journeymen" and build  with youth. IMHO it needs to start now. This is after all meant to be our model for the future is it not

[Saint Jambo]

1 hour ago, JamboAl said:

So you don't think going into admin should have had an adverse effect on our situation in recent years?

 

I think you've maybe misunderstood my post. I'm looking forward and saying cup finals should be more common in the future than in the past.

 

Anyway if your argument is we've been in less cup finals because we entered administration, does that not entirely align with my position that we should reach finals regularly if we are well managed? Going into administration is no ones definition of well managed. On top of that, 3 of our 4 cup finals in the last 20 years have been since pur financial difficulties began. The period before that included times when we had a good budget and were doing well in the league. Our cup record during that period was really poor.

[JamboAl]

18 minutes ago, Saint Jambo said:

 

I think you've maybe misunderstood my post. I'm looking forward and saying cup finals should be more common in the future than in the past.

 

Anyway if your argument is we've been in less cup finals because we entered administration, does that not entirely align with my position that we should reach finals regularly if we are well managed? Going into administration is no ones definition of well managed. On top of that, 3 of our 4 cup finals in the last 20 years have been since pur financial difficulties began. The period before that included times when we had a good budget and were doing well in the league. Our cup record during that period was really poor.

3

I agree we should reach finals if well managed but bear in mind we have been building up from what was virtually a standing start.

Going into admin was something related to our previous owners and was IMO a consequence of external circumstances.

The period before that was clearly funded by debt - as things turned out.

[i wish jj was my dad]

7 hours ago, 7628mm said:

 

We need to start using our talented youth more next season and I would hope that in the next 3 years we can be easily fighting for 3rd in the league with a strong "young" team and a smattering of seasoned senior professionals to assist.

We need less of the "journeymen" and build  with youth. IMHO it needs to start now. This is after all meant to be our model for the future is it not

That seems to be the plan. ?

[letsalldothebeattie]

Yes it was an opportunity missed on Saturday but I don’t think it’s the last opportunity we will have. I’m not saying we will be getting to every cup final over the next 2/3/4 seasons but I think we have the capability to make cup finals on a regular basis. I tend to agree with Levein this squad can go and lift silverware, the talent of Hickey, Smith, Cochrane, Irving, Morrison etc coming through with a sprinkle of decent level experience like Naisy, Berra & Souttar and a small number of decent signings we will have good foundations to go forward as a club in cup competitions