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Celtic Diary Thursday October 25

The Spanish press were full of praise for the Celtic support over in Barcelona, this excerpt, loosely translated means “What a smashing set of blokes”

And thats a clip from what the Barca president says, clearly happy with the prospect of Celtic fans visiting the city.

Peter Lawwell joined in, on Tuesdays game:

“It was a tremendous occasion and one that we were delighted to be involved in. The UEFA Champions League is the stage which Celtic strive to compete on, and we have shown this season that we deserve our place alongside Europes elite.

To play a team of Barcelonas quality, rightly regarded as the best club side in the world, is the toughest challenge we can face, but Neil and his players rose magnificently to it. ….. As for our own supporters they have shown once again why they are so special and so important to the club. Their backing for the team was tremendous and I’m sure they were very proud of the performance the players produced.”

Bernd Schuster wasn’t so impressed. He blamed Chelsea for dragging the game down to such a level that teams just line up behind the ball when they visit the Nou Camp. The swine! Fancy not letting Barca do what they want. He had a go at Celtic for doing the same. That.ll be the same Celtic who started with two strikers away from home in a Champions League game. “And the fans spent days on the beer” he didn’t add.

Schuster is just one of many people who came to the fore in the week bemoaning sides who won’t let the Catalans run over the top of them, sure they have a reputation as a wonderful side , attractive to watch who play sublime football.

Its only when you are up against them yourself you realise what a dull, uninspiring bunch of prima donnas they really are. They just grind teams down with admittedly sublime football, but its hardly going to set the pulses racing and the voices singing. Give me Ho hup and intae them any time.

When they come to Glasgow We’ll need to show them what the game is all about, passion, entertainment, adrenaline, drink, singing and a headache in the morning.

Speaking of drink, the Boxing Day  game against Dundee has been moved to an evening kick off to allow for ESPN to show the game live. Dundee is as good as any a place to spend a day refreshed , but be wary of the towns high percentage of young single mothers. They must have had a BBC personality visiting on a regular basis .

Young Celtic kept their Next Gen qualification hopes alive with a superb second half fightback to claim a 2-2 draw at firhill last night. The Birmingham side were two up at the break, but an own goal and an equaliser from a Patrik Twardzik header salvaged a point.

The papers have earmarked the next man they want to leave Celtic. having failed in a campaign thus far to shift Hooper to Liverpool, Wanyama to Man Utd and Forster to West Ham (although there was some truth in that one), the dutiful loyal hacks-although there isn’t really anyone to be loyal to anymore-have changed their tack. Instead of shifting the players, they want ot unsettle the guy who found the players. John Park is wanted , according to reports, by Tottenham and West Brom, as the campaign to lure him south gets underway. North London or the Midlands. Thats alright, I suppose, if you like concrete, crowds,  and the sweet smell of diesel. And you’ll probably get your pockets picked.

Meanwhile, a massive round of applause has to go to bookmakers Paddy Power, who have decided to refund losing bets for those of us who had a wee punt on Celtic to win or draw in the Camp nou. Citing the “commited and disclipined ” display, and the refusal of the Celtic players and management to resort to hooligan tactics, or timewasting, the Dublin based company said that free bets should be landing in accounts soon.

Not so Skybet, who shamelessly kept my two quid. Still think Ledley should have been at the back post.

While Celtic have suffered the indignity of defeat in the Champions League, one guy who knows all about dignity, Ally McCoist, the young, bubbly manager of Scotlands newest club, has spoken of his happiness with the way things are going, and in particular his captain Lee McCulloch. Apparently , when McCulloch decided to join the new club from the financially stricken rangers, “it gave the fans a bit of hope and something to latch on to.”

You have to admire him. Desperately trying to make his supporters feel better, so that they can keep those record crowds coming through the door at Ibrox. Despite what the police are saying, those are the true figures. Still , they are at the top of the league now, and have yet another Glasgow derby to look forward to, a visit to Clyde at the weekend. Although it seems no-one has told them they moved from Shawfield quite some time ago.

Speaking of the resurgent Rangers, former billionaire owner Craig Whyte has dropped another one of his bombshells, claiming to have recorded the conversations he had with Duff and Phelps, the discredited administrators at during the final days of the once great club, which show they have reneged on a deal for a “short ,sharp administration, ” The final bill should have been £500,000, and as we all know it went a wee bit higher than that.

Whyte said elegantly  “Duff and Phelps have shafted me” Well, it was in the Sun.

Aye, the panto seems ready to start all over again as he says he is preparing legal action. Whyte , of course, is always preparing legal action against someone, but never gets round to actually doing it.

The answer to yesterdays teaser was Georgios Samaras, who in the tournament shared four goals with Ronaldo at the top of the table, but further research showed that two others did as well, one at Anderlecht and one at BATE.

Still , the purpose of that question was to highlight Samaras’ contribution in Europe this year.

Now, heres a question with no purpose whatsoever.  taken from a book the Scotsman said “would shock football to the core”, what began in Miami on 11 June 1994, andended in controversy on 13 february 2002 in Limassol?

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Scottyybhoy
11 years ago

Jack Charlton’s Irish managerial career????

Scottyybhoy
11 years ago

sorry Roy Keane’s international career

Pensionerbhoy
11 years ago

Great stuff again, Ralph. Made me feel really proud to be Celtic fan especially when it is coming from the president of such a big outfit. I never got to the site yesterday but I have to say that, reading today, there was very little in your summation that I could question. Joe Ledley and back posts have certainly become your obsession. If they were leek shaped maybe he would hug them more often. Aye, wee Whytie is back at it and he is not alone in being ‘at it’. Guinness will be doing new editions on an hourly basis if Charlie and co. keep it up. A well, a wee laugh helps us old yins through the day.
The 2002 controversy bit certainly brought Roy Keane to mind and since Scottybhoy already got there, I doubled checked on Wiki and I think he is 100% on this one. I guess the quote was the Scotsman’s sales pitch because the book certainly did not live up to the hype.

H H

Pensionerbhoy
11 years ago

I meant to say, Ralph, that I am being given what has to be a rare treat on Saturday. I am leaving tomorrow for my first live match in over 7 years. As someone who never missed a domestic match in my healthier and younger days, you can imagine my excitement. I just hope the game and the STAIRS don’t do for my dicky ticker. They can keep Christmas this year. On Saturday I will have all of them rolled into one.

H H

dave kerr
11 years ago

Neil Lennon first game and last game for northern ireland

11 years ago

Use the lifts that are dfotted throughout the grouynd

the lurgan tiger
11 years ago

I believe this was St Neil of Lurgans international career when he was forced to retire from international football

binkabhoy
11 years ago

Enjoy your day oot PB!

11 years ago

Big Sammi … toldja! (And no, I did not look it up.) 🙂

Pensionerbhoy
11 years ago

Thanks for the good wishes. Heavens, Ralph, sounds like Parkheed’s gone into the space age since I used to go. The only lifts then were “gonnae giesa lift ower mr.” Will give you my opinion on my return.

H H

Ralph malph
11 years ago

Theres a story to be told there pb

Pointman
11 years ago

Mick McCarthys’ Irish managerial career.

11 years ago

I always thought whytey was too stupid to be true – I reckon a few more skeletons will be found in the cupboard and whytey knows where they’re hidden – I honestly think this gift will keep on giving for another 6 months or so, at least up until sevco seek administration.
as for pensionerbhoy, hope you have a great homecoming on saturday – I reckon Celtic will have a great day on saturday and might just dupe you into believing that this is the way it always is – I’m sure there’s still plenty of season tickets to be had!!

11 years ago

pb-just tell us about it.

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