Lets face it, the Scottish national team does not deserve your support, and since Celtic have allowed their players to turn out for Alex McLeishs side, its down to the support to show their distaste for a corrupt SFA and their tax dodging manager.
Unless, of course, the SFA decide not to play apartheid warmongering Israel in the European Nations league?cup/whatever it is.
That , of course, would require them taking the moral high ground, and as we know, the moral dimension is in extremely short supply down at Hampden.
As are taxpayers.
Ticket sales are apparently low for the double header against Belguim and Albania, and if it wasn’t for McLeish welcoming Alan MacGregor back into the fold, as long as he promises not to kick anyone, or land on their back elbow first.
A real referee might send him off, and any appeal would face a proper panel, who would not be as lenient as the SFa equivalent..
So, save your money, don’t bother with the national team, and spend it elsewhere.
One idea is to go to a local junior game, get into the real football world of blood, sweat , tears and, er, fair play.
Another idea would be to attend this game..
IT’S a massive week for Celtic FC Foundation as the club’s charitable arm finalises preparations ahead of A Match for Cancer (Saturday, September 8, 2pm KO) – and the day promises to be one for the whole family to enjoy, with The Celtic Way playing host to fun-filled activities pre-match.
A Match for Cancer, sponsored by Dafabet and Laduma, sees Celtic legend, Stiliyan – who has bravely battled through Leukaemia since being diagnosed in 2012 – and Liverpool midfielder, James Milner pull together opposing squads from the worlds of football and entertainment.
Come along this Saturday and enjoy lots of entertainment on The Celtic Way and Kerrydale Clover from 12noon, with dance lessons, jugglers, football freestylers and plenty more to keep fans of all ages entertained.
Our Celtic FC Foundation Community Coaches will also be on hand, giving young bhoys and ghirls the chance to take part in footballing sessions. Bring the kids to learn new skills, techniques and footballing tricks throughout the build-up to kick-off at 2pm.
The match offers families the chance to come together at Paradise to watch Celtic legends including Henrik Larsson pull the Hoops on once again.
The King of Kings will be joined by a host of other famous faces from the world of football and entertainment with both Stilyan and James having put together star-studded squads for the occasion.
A Match for Cancer will raise valuable funds to tackle the disease, with the proceeds from the day being shared equally with three beneficiary charities – Celtic FC Foundation, The Stiliyan Petrov Foundation and The James Milner Foundation.
Celtic FC Foundation and the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation have confirmed two cancer charity partners that they will work with to make a positive difference to patients and their families – the Beatson Cancer Charity and the Schiehallion Ward through Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
The James Milner Foundation – set up around the time of Stiliyan’s diagnosis – has Bloodwise, the charity that combats blood cancer, as one of its major beneficiaries.
Tickets for A Match for Cancer are now on general sale, on a first come first served basis – maximum of 10 per person – priced at £14 for adults and £6 for concessions*.
Tickets are available to purchase online at www.celticfc.net, by calling 0871 226 1888** or by visiting the Celtic Ticket Office. The lower tier will be on sale in the first instance and Rail Seating does not apply to this match.
Premium tickets (£30) and corporate packages (£135) are also available by calling 0871 226 1888** (Option 4) or emailing matchdayhospitality@celticfc.co.uk
Celtic FC Foundation will also be hosting a fundraising dinner – An Evening with Petrov and Milner – the night before the match, on Friday, September 7. This will take place in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park.
Joining Stiliyan and James on the night will be a host of representatives from both charity match squads.
Tickets are priced at £700 for a table of 10 or £70 per person and can booked via email cfcfoundation@celticfc.co.uk or telephone 0141 551 4321.
Mirroring the match, net proceeds of the dinner will be devoted to tackling cancer through Celtic FC Foundation (SC024648), The Stiliyan Petrov Foundation (1154131) and The James Milner Foundation (1146768).
* Concessions 65+/Under-16s.
Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer in some way. I mysekf had that dreaded moment when i was told I’d become a statistic, and many years ago, without charities such as these, the outcome could well have been very different.
Two years clear now, I still can’t get life insurance, but at least there’s a life to insure.
Recently, I read that the most pleasing aspect of a doctors working day is to be able to write “former cancer patient ” on someones notes, an experience that is becoming more frequent. Its down to education, improved treatment and quick diagnosis…all of which play their part in the success against this dreadful disease.
So if you can, get along to the game.
I read Stilian Petrovs bigoraphy last week. For someone who has Englsh as a second language, it was good to see that co writer Mark Guidi has improved his technique.
Some might wonder why Petrov, who left for Aston Villa, has chosen Celtic Park for the venue, but its fairly clear in the book that he does have a great regard for the support and the club, and with charity being at the heart of everything that is Celtic, then perhaps its the right place for it to be.
Meanwhile, Belguim manager Roberto Martinez has revealed he was approached to take over at Celtic from Gordon Strachan in 2009…
I had conversations and I was always very impressed with the need to bring silverware,”
“There was also the prospect of getting to the Champions League through the qualifying rounds and it was always a club that people are attracted to because of the intensity of the fans and what it means.
“But at that time I had to go back to where I started my career in the UK and where I started my coaching career at Wigan.
“In life there has to be the right timing for moves and at that time I wasn’t prepared to go away from my beginnings in the UK.
“It was a chance to go and work again with Dave Whelan – the man who had brought me to Britain.
“The opportunity of having conversations with Celtic is something that fills you with pride.
“It is a club with great tradition and a club that demands qualification in the Champions League. You can appreciate the status of the football club.”
He chose Wigan instead. We chose Tony Mowbray.
Of course, he doesn’t say if he was actually offered the job, merely interviewed.
He went on to discuss Dedryck Boyata, who has settled back into the Celtic defence after his tantrums…
“Dedryck has been through a situation that is normal in the modern game,”
“I think we all need to understand that when a player performs as well for a club then in the window you will get other clubs interested and there will be a question of setting values.
“That will be an inconsistent period for everyone and everyone inside football understands that. Now the window is closed Dedryck can focus and all he wants is to do is perform well for Celtic. That is what he’s been doing.
“What happened is more a symptom of the modern game than something to do with Celtic and Dedryck.
There is no question he will give his all. He enjoys responsibility in the team and he knows his responsibility in the team and he respects Celtic immensely. He is looking forward to playing for Celtic.
“When there is a window the player and the club is allowed to asses the options. Clubs are looking to balance books or invest for the future and that can mean buying players at the right time, selling players at the right time .
“That’s normal – but now you have a Dedryck Boyata that is hungrier than ever who is in the best moments of his career.
Will he sign a new deal, or will he leave for nothing in January. Thats the ten million pounds question.
Which Martinez wisely avoided.
The doo lallys at the Debtdome have been let out again.
New boy, well, not quite a boy at 39, Gareth McAuley, has spoken of his delight at finding a club daft enough to give him a two year deal at his age..
Here’s the street…
Perhaps his eyesight was overlooked at the medical.
With senior players, its important to keep an eye on their health, as things start to deteriote rapidly once you hit middle age.
Especially the memory..
Rangers star Kyle Lafferty insists ‘we’ll get 55 and win the league THIS season’ under Steven Gerrard
(the sun )
“It will be tough. Celtic have been champions for many years but we now have a squad that can compete.
“Sunday was a disappointing result but with travelling and playing 38 minutes with nine men (in the Europa League) it was tough for us.
“Obviously there is going to be no excuses for the performance we’ve put in and Celtic were probably the better team on the day but we are on a good road now and a good path and we’re going to kick on and we’ll be much closer to Celtic.
“Everyone in the Rangers dressing room believes that we’ll get 55 and that this will be the year we’ll win the league.
Lafferty, of course, left the original club when he refused to transfer his contract over to the new entity six years ago.
Now he reckons it is actually the same club.
Does that mean he owes them money for a breach of his original contract ?
Friday, of course, brings with it the announcement of the Etims
Knob of the Week
Has to be the guy who decided to mend something that wasn;t broken…with almost catstrophic results.
POLICE Scotland have admitted the ‘dynamic’ of policing and stewarding the Old Firm game is set to change on the back of Celtic and Rangers’ ticket spat.
Rangers released a statement on Thursday revealing Hoops fans would see their 7000 allocation at Ibrox chopped to around 800, while a Parkhead statement around an hour later suggested the Premiership champions would do likewise at Celtic Park when Steven Gerrard’s fans come to visit.
Over the years police bosses have fine tuned their security operation when the two clubs meet for both getting fans in and around the ground as well as throughout the city.“
Police Scotland-
However, dealing with safely getting 7000 visiting fans in and out of a stadium and potentially only 800 presents all different types of complications.
“The clubs and police will want to make sure the games pass off as peacefully as possible but the way the event is looked after in terms of police and stewarding will need to be looked at.”
Peacefully ?
Surely ” safely “….
Theres also this…
( thanks to charlie saiz and stevie for digging these out )
We’ll just give the award to Police Scotland, for a sort of team effort.
Except at the football.
Caption competition from yesterday…which was a picture of the new rangers new boy when he was a boy, one of the first colour pictures ever taken, in fact.
Caption…Belfast Social Work Services ignore child maltreatment.
Today…
Mind and have a listen to the latest podcast. An excellent mix of humourous and serious discussion.
