THE LOTW DIARY- Saturday

The news that GIFC have suspended all Italian Fitbaw for the forseeable future is a worrying development. They have taken this action due to crowd trouble at the Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo. The heidie of the GIFC says

"One day is not sufficient," Pancalli added after proceeding with his threat. "Without drastic measures, we cannot play again.
"We will immediately set up a commission to discuss the situation between sport and politics. It's not possible to carry on like this."

So if we have to wait on Italian justice we could be in for a long wait. Sure a death at a fitbaw match is always tragic but- only recently a PSG fan died - is it worth punishing all clubs? Now the game was between local rivals playing each other in the top flight and also that part of Italian is not renowned for it's, peace loving, easy going locals is it? Yer more likely to get a horses heid in yer bed than a warm welcome.

Does Italian fitbaw really have such a problem wie fitbaw related violence that all games from the top to the bottom have to be banned. Sure in Italy the violence has more to do wie political views- see Palermo and Lazio- and fitbaw is the vehicle that attracts the masses so that is used. But is the problem any worse that German, Dutch, English or Polish?

Now the Rossoneri fans have not got a history of trouble. Unsure of any political leanings they may have but there has been bother at International matches in recent years in the san siro. Heavy handed action like the one taken FIGC just take small problems and fire them onto a grander scale.

The ban won't last, as money talks and uefa will get involved. I fully expect oor game against Ac to go ahead but any chance of us getting more tickets, or being allowed freely to mingle wie the Ac fans in the home end may have just be compromised.

A wee hoop on loan in Greenock is looking forward to proving himself to GS. Paul McGowan aka Gowser has impressed at the Ton and recently signed a new deal wie the hoops. The boy says

"I've learned a lot coming here and earned myself a new two-year contract at Celtic. Playing against top teams like Motherwell and Kilmarnock is experience I couldn't have got playing at Celtic reserves.

Good luck today wee man, as it's yer duty to beat Motherwell as we don't really like them.

Now, Gowser might find himself winging back to the homeland as Aiden McGeady now is injured, Craig Beattie is always injured, Magic is in the huff and Kenny Miller is, well , just Kenny.

With Livingston tomorrow and Clyde still fresh in oor collective minds GS says.....

"There were some good players involved in the Clyde game, by the way: Neil Lennon, Roy Keane and John Hartson. So the warning is there for us."
"It wasn't a good time, but as I said immediately after that game, all we could do to make ourselves feel better was get good results. Since then, we have put a lot of results together to make us feel a bit better about ourselves."

By the sounds of it i would expect a strong line up. I also think he is expecting one of the injured strikers to return. Canny see another Clyde but..with a new defender making his debut and again it being live on Sky its kinda a groundhog day feeling.

Hope not,

Forza the Hoops who need to be over cautious tomorrow and play a strong team...... or whoever is fit