january's the real deal

It still feels a wee bit bereft, not having European football to look forward to as the nights start drawing oot. But I suppose we'll just have to content ourselves with looking on from a distance as the Champions League unfolds.

When the hype starts gathering momentum about the two ties of the next round - involving Barcelona and AC Milan versus their respective Premiership opponents - we can always say, 'Hey, they were both in our group.'

The domestic fare just isn't the same, even though the two horse race is reaching quite an interesting stage as we head into the last few furlongs. The January transfer window has its critics, but this year it probably provided more excitement than most SPL matches. As usual, the hacks are never happier than when talking up a new Rangers signing, and if you're transcendentally gullible you'll believe that the giant Greek meatball with the dodgy knee they've acquired is miles better than Boumsong, that the assortment of reserves they've assembled from the Bosman bins of Europe are head and shoulders above the likes of the de Boers and that Marvin Andrews can truly walk on water and feed the entire Copland Road stand with just two dollops of Bears Pakora and an FTP Burger.

With all the talk of contracts flying around as well, let's not forget as quickly as some of the laptop Loyal that Boumsong was on a five year contract. He lasted five months. Amidst all of the Eckmeister's rip it up and start again antics there is hardly a hint of criticism or a whiff of bad news.

Celtic, by contrast, were at least ensuring that, while there weren't too many players spinning through the revolving doors of the Walfrid, there were a few key members of OFM's squad who were committing themselves to the club for an extended stay. Hartson's goalscoring exploits this season are on a par with Larsson's last term. To lose him at this stage would have been a serious blow to our retaining the championship.

Now that Balde's situation has been resolved we can only hope he gets his mind back on turning in consistent performances on the pitch again. The two players Martin O'Neill did sign were most definitely the kind he prefers. No obscure Mitteleuropa has beens for MON; instead he has brought in two experienced players who have been earning their living in the Premiership for the last few years. Henchoz will hopefully satisfy those among us who have been crying out for a defender now that Valgaeren's days appear to be numbered. Bellamy is a player who could well make a real name for himself at Celtic Park, although we did think the same of Juninho here at NTV Mansions when he signed in the summer. An enticing prospect, assuming O'Neill is going to utilise him in a way that won't stifle his attacking potential.

The Kleenex box wasn't exactly being passed around when we got the news that Henri Camara had been punted to Southampton, although it was a bit irritating that he wasn't being joined on the way out by one or two others.

With the resistance to Celtic and the huns of just about every other team in the SPL amounting to little more than a soggy kit kat, you don't have to be Darlinda to predict that the outcome of the next two derby matches will, in all probability, decide the destination of this year's title. The huns have stiffened their resolve compared with last time out but defeat to this particular manifestation of the manky mob is almost unthinkable. The next couple of months will reveal whether the latest Rangers revival is just another outbreak of wishful thinking amongst the Laptop Loyal.

MANFRED LURKER