june 2003

monday 9th Today's transfer speculation sees Celtic linked with moves for Hakan Yakin of FC Basel and/ or Swedish defender Fredrick Risp of IFK Gothenburg. Jackie McNamara is rumoured to be in the departure lounge.

wednesday 11th Claudio Caniggia reacts like a real trouper to the news that he is to be sent packing in order to ease the horrendous debt burden hanging over his cash-strapped erstwhile employers: 'McLeish has shown himself to be soft - like Mickey Mouse... Let's face it, Rangers only won the league because Celtic were so obsessed with winning the UEFA Cup.'

sunday 15th Big news in the Mason this week is Michael Mols signing a new one year deal with the Huns. According to reporter Gavin Berry in his exclusive, 'The feelgood factor should increase further this week with FC Porto star Nuno Capucho set to arrive in Glasgow for talks.' At least if Capucho, 31, does sign the Huns should have no problem fielding a team in next year's Football Masters competition.

Meanwhile Swoop Guidi reports that Martin O'Neill is set to switch formation to 4-4-2 next season which means that Stephen Crainey will have to find a new club: 'Crainey will be among several men to leave the Hoops ... Tom Boyd left last week and David Fernandez will be among the next to go.'

thursday 19th The SPL have announced next season's fixture list. The opening day sees Celtic having to travel to Dunfermline (somebody at the SPL has a sense of humour it seems) and Rangers playing hosts to Kilmarnock, which means that both sets of fans will be able to carry over from the final day of last season and celebrate the Huns' league flag. First Old Firm game of the season will be at Ibrox on October 4th while the second will be at Celtic Park on January 3rd.

friday 20th In the draw for the second qualifying round of the Champions League Celtic are pulled out of FIFA's computerised tammy to play either HB Torshavn from the Faroe Islands or FBK Kaunas from Lithuania. Ties will be played on July 30th and August 6th.

sunday 22nd What would Sunday be without a Swoop Guidi 'exclusive' in the Mason? This week It's Giorgi Kinkladze who is set to be swooped on: 'Celtic are set to swoop for Derby midfielder Giorgi Kinkladze to fill the void left by Lubo Moravcik.' Swoop Also gets a double page spread to himself inside the sports section wherein he once again becomes the mouthpiece of the Celtic fans, bemoaning that we have all, 'Been alarmed at Martin O'Neill's silence since the day the Hoops' championship dream died at Kilmarnock... the Irishman has kept himself under wraps for three weeks following the last day heartbreak as he enjoys a summer break.' In case we should become alarmed, though, Swoop has words of comfort from none other than legendary Celtic manager... er, Lou Macari. Erk!

In another Sportsmail exclusive, Gavin berry reveals that the Celtic board are keen to take former financial controller Peter Lawell back to the club as chief executive to replace Ian McLeod.

Kenny Dalglish is reported in all the Sunday papers breaking step with the populist view that Celtic will have to build something like Murray Park so that the club can really get embroiled in the financial mire. The former Parkhead legend said: 'Spending millions of pounds on a new training ground isn't always the answer... a successful youth policy isn't judged by how nice your training ground is.'

Scotland on Sunday features an interview with Rangers Chairman John McLelland who states that the cash-strapped Ibrox club need not feel embarrassed about their current hard-up circumstances: 'I have trouble understanding where people perceive the crisis being (it's to do with the level of debt being unsustainable John - helpful ed) ... Where we are is the logical consequence of investing heavily in a squad that was successful domestically and nearly very successful in Europe (If the consequences were so logical why did nobody at Ibrox step in to stop such a situation spiralling out of control before now? puzzled ed)... I don't see it as the crisis that others might enjoy thinking we have.' A speech almost worthy of Michael Kelly.

monday 23rd Raith Rovers' boss Antonio Calderon confirms that he is trying to tempt Lubo Moravcik to leave behind his luxury retirement villa on the gorgeous sunny Mediterranean island of Corsica in order to turn out for the Kirkcaldy outfit next season. 'We are looking into the possibility of bringing him to play for us for one year. If it comes off it will be a great move.'

tuesday 24th Transfer 'news' today: Bayer Leverkusen have accepted a Celtic bid for Yildiray Basturk but the player isn't keen to come to Scotland so Martin O'Neill is about to turn to the next in the queue who is Hakan Yakin of FC Basel. In the departure lounge, Stephen Crainey is reportedly a £400,000 target for Fulham.

wednesday 25th Midsummer madness reaches a peak as the hopeless Darrell King, among others, reports that Ronald de Boer's brother Frank could soon be on his way to cash-strapped Rangers as 'Alex McLeish has been offered the chance to move for the Dutch star.' At 33, this move, should it transpire (don't hold your breath) would bring the combined age of Eck's signings so far to 64 - nuno Capucho is 31.

sunday 29th In yet another Screws exclusive, John McGarry reports that Rangers are 'trailing' Pa-Modou Kah. In case you've never heard of him, McGarry helpfully talks up his credientials by describing him as an 'International defender' and a player who is nicknamed 'The Lion King'. He is currently plying his trade at Norweigian giants Valerenga. What do you mean you've never heard of them either? McGarry's Celtic exclusive is about Hakan Yakin (again): 'Celtic gaffer Martin O'Neill will return to Parkhead tomorrow to be told you can have Yakin - if you beat Gerard Houllier to his signing.'

The Sunday Mason concentrates on Wimbledon and has sent one of its dismal hacks to south west London to cover the tennis. Thank goodness for that, I hear you say, no ridiculous exclusives about transfer rumours today. Not a bit of it, as Gavin Berry reveals that Roger Federer is 'a die-hard Basel fan... who has been monitoring the transfer speculation surrounding star player Hakan Yakin who has been linked with a move to Parkhead.' Does it get any worse than this?

 

SAMUEL PEPYS-SHOW and HACKWATCHER

 

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