Thats the way editors think , not only in the Scottish media , but worldwide.
In Scotland, however, its a little more refined in that they apply the maxim only to Celtic.
The narrative seems to be that everyone at Celtic doesn’t want to be there, and those who aren’t there don’t want to come.
We’ve had our backs against the wall before, and we’ve seen off all sorts of challenges.
Today, we must make a statement, on the pitch, that we intend to see this one off as well.
The hoops host Hamilton Academical-there’s just the one of them in the correct use of their name-so it shouldn’t be too tricky.
Its the start of a three game run at Celtic Park that gives the manager and the players a chance to swat away criticism, and put down a marker for the season.
Anything else and it will be cracked crests and a whip round to hire a minibus for the board, the manager and several players.
We shouldn’t be in this position, but we are, and its the mark of champions as to how its dealt with.
Incredibly, due to injuries even at this early stage of the season, Celtic are missing seven players, at least according to Sky Sports…
Sky Sports claim that the Bhoys only have one fit centre-half for the clash against Accies, with Kristoffer Ajer set to play.
The report also confirms that Lewis Morgan, Nir Bitton and Odsonne Edouard are out of the game in Glasgow.
However, we still have some fairly decent lads to choose from, and as long as they turn up, Celtic should send a message to everyone watching that reports of our demise have been exaggerated.
Three at the back, two wing backs, three in the middle and two up front.
Go for it.
In the meantime, the media are proclaiming that Olivier Ntcham is determined to quit before the window closes.
Let him go if thats true.
Boyata ?
Bye bye.
And anyone else who has itchy feet ?
Theres the door, allow me to slam it off the back of your head as you leave.
Older readers will remeber the fabled trio of Pierre van Hooijdonk, Paolo di Canio and Jorge Cadete. Great players, but a collective pain in the arse.
A similar situation may be brewing just now, and we’ve a week to sort it out either way.
Then, as now, we’d like to keep the “rebels “, but not at the detriment of the squads mentality.
Either they are in, and they buck up, or they are out, and they buck off.
Oh, and shouldn’t this bring a charge of disrepute ?
Kris Boyd of Kilmarnock talking publicly about a Celtic player ?
This takes me back to a fans forum I attended a couple of years ago around the time Neil McCann, then assistant manager at Dunfermline, was haranguing Celtic whilst he was a Sky pundit.
I asked Peter Lawwell if this was not tantamount to bringing the game into disrepute. Lawwell said he would look into it.
Presumably he did, with all the enthusiasm he looks at Brendans “Get me these players ” list
Boyd cannot be allowed to do this without facing the consequences. He should be charged.
And if Celtic are not sticking up for themselves off the pitch, how can we expect them to look after themselves on it ?
Right now, the club seems to be lurching from one crisis to another, and a wee bit of leadership wouldn’t go amiss.
In fact, there’s something even more serious that has not been widely reported that is indicative of the piss poor way the club is being run at the moment..
“I haven’t thought about the Old Firm,” “I can honestly say to you, I am not obsessed about Celtic. I don’t know how many times I need to say it. I am obsessed with being successful as the Rangers manager. I could lose every Old Firm game I go into and still win the league. So why should I be obsessed with Celtic?”
“Being candid and honest about it, it’s the game up here in this league,”
“All the media and all the public magnify it, whether you win or lose. If you win, you are the best in the world. If you lose, you are the worst in the world. I understand that. I get it. I signed up for it, I am in.
That sounds like someone is running scared to me, and it sounds like he is dreading the game.
Even he knows that sooner or later, Celtic will click again, and someone is going to suffer. Should the world not be placed back on its axis with two convincing wins against Hamilton and Suduva, he knows that the atmosphere in among 60,000 Celtic fans will be too much for his untested team, and that they could face a backlash.
Alternatively, should the hoops find their shooting boots before the game, he’ll be facing a Celtic side far superior to his own who know they are far superior to his own.
A wee message for them…
Oh, and don’t forget….
THERE is a collection pre-match from midday today, and Celtic FC Foundation, Glasgow North East Foodbank and The Wayside Club would like to invite all supporters who are attending the match to bring a donation which will help address issues of poverty, hunger and homelessness in our society.
The legacy of Brother Walfrid was a football club fundamentally committed to his ideals of supporting those in need locally, nationally and far beyond national borders. These ideals continue to be supported on a daily basis through the work of the Club’s official charitable arm, Celtic FC Foundation.
From midday, there will be three drop-off stations: The Clover (main collection point on the Celtic Way) and the West and East entrance areas along Janefield Street*.
On consultation with our partner and this collections’ beneficiary, vital items required include:
The Wayside Club:
Men’s toilet bag
Baby wipes
Deodorant
One x pair boxers/underpants (new)
One x pair socks (new)
Hand Sanitiser
Women’s toilet bag
Baby wipes
Deodorant Sanitary items
Dry shampoo
Hand Sanitiser
Glasgow North East Foodbank:
UHT Milk
Sugar
Tinned Fruit
Tinned Fish
Tinned Tomatoes
Celtic FC Foundation
For more ways to get involved in our work, or to make a one-off/regular donation, please visit www.celticfcfoundation.com or email cfcfoundation@celticfc.co.uk
Help out how you can. It will be appreciated.. there’s a lot of good people putting in a lot of good work, and they need a bit of help to help those , who through no fault of their own, could use a leg up.
There was no diary yesterday, so we go back to Friday for this picture..
Caption “I know as a stock broker I should be happy that the Celtic share price is looking good but, fuck me, that defence”.
Today..
