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Celtic Diary Saturday July 13: SMSM Journalist Excels Himself

We’ll get to that later…there’s a game on today.

Celtic have their first home friendly this afternoon, providing local fans with an opportunity to have a look at how Neil Lennon is trying to change the way Celtic play back to something similar to the Celtic way.

Todays opponents are Stade Rennais, not to be confused with Spearmint Rennais, which come in wee red packets and cost a bloody fortune as you need to buy a dozen when you only need two, and can never find the sodding things when you need them again.

Stade Rennais Football Club (French pronunciation: ​[stad ʁɛnɛ]), commonly referred to as Stade Rennais FCStade Rennais or simply SRFC, is a French association football club based in Rennes. Competing in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football, the club plays its home matches at the Roazhon Park, located within the city. The team is managed by Julien Stéphan. The team’s president is Olivier Létang and its owner is Artémis, the holding company of businessman François Pinault.

Rennes was founded in 1901 under the name Stade Rennais and is one of the founding members of the first division of French football. Alongside Nantes, Rennes is one of the top football clubs in the region and the two are among the main clubs that contest the Derby Breton. The club’s best finish in the league has been fourth with the club accomplishing this feat on four occasions, most recently in 2006–07. Rennes has won three Coupe de France titles in 19651971 and 2019. After winning the Coupe de France in 1971, Rennes changed its name to its current version.

Rennes is known for its youth academy, known in English as the Henri Guérin Training Centre, which was formed in 2000. The French Football Federation (FFF) has recognised Rennes as having the best youth academy in the country in 2010.[3] The cornerstone of the academy is the under-19 team, which has won the Coupe Gambardella three times in 1973, 2003 and 2008. The academy has produced several notable talents, such as Sylvain WiltordYoann GourcuffYann M’VilaMoussa SowYacine BrahimiAbdoulaye DoucouréOusmane Dembélé and Jimmy Briand, among others. 

They could be described as cousins of Celtic, well, sort of…

Rennes have several supporter groups associated with the club, ranging from groups of senior supporters to ultras. The oldest, most structured and frequented is Allez Rennes. The group was founded in 1962 and together with Les Socios, founded in 1992, is the largest group of traditional supporters.

The section of the stadium popularly called Tribune Mordelles is occupied by the Roazhon Celtic Kop (RCK). Although the group was founded in 1991, its roots date back to 1987 when a group of supporters known as Ultras Roazhon was formed. The RCK was formed by three young supporters who decided to establish the Mordelles stand as the true hot spot of the stadium.[10] The group marks its presence not only through continuous singing and the use of flares, but also through numerous tifos and choreographic celebrations. The Breton identity is regularly displayed and the use of Celtic symbols is frequent.[11] A special feat of the RCK is that the group is responsible for having made the largest Gwenn-ha-du in history measuring 270 square metres. It was displayed at the Mordelles stand during the 1994–95 season.[12] 

Celtic with a hard C, one presumes, as its unlikely they’ll be using shamrocks, that wee fighting leprachaun or any snipers at work flags.

Although their coach from 1906-09 does hint at a republican connection…

Dates Name
1906–09 Arthur Griffith

 

With a comfortable win in Sarajevo, and perhaps a chance to draw breath during this hectic quailfying campaign, the manager will give game time to players such as Christophe Jullien, Lewis Morgan and the rejuvenated Leigh Griffiths.

If attitude alone was a factor, then Luca Connell is already banging on the door for a start..

“It was only a few weeks before I actually signed that I got the call and when a Champions League club want to sign you it’s not something you can just ignore,”

“So I spoke to my agent and got things sorted and I’m made up that I could sign for them.

“There was quite a few clubs interested in me to be honest but I always thought that this was the club for me and to be able to play in front of the massive crowd is really a dream come true.

“Everyone plays the Scottish league down as if it’s not a high standard but I can tell you now it is, and now that I have trained I can tell how high a standard it is.

“It’s a massive club and playing in the Champions League you don’t get that at most clubs, so it’s definitely a step up for me and I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.

“I want to work hard and challenge for my place as well. I’m sure there will be a lot if opportunities.  There could be potentially 70 competitive games and the same 11 can’t play that amount of games.

“I’m hoping I can make the step up and impress here at Celtic. There are plenty of players here and every single one is good, but there will be chances and it’s up to me to take them.

“That’s the message – if you work hard, train well, you’ll get your chance. Then you must deal with the pressure that comes with that.

“I want to go on and make history here. If I can get some game-time that would be unbelievable. If I can make my debut at Celtic Park, that’s even more unbelievable again.”

This boy, we believe, can play a bit, and he’s a grafter…

 

Compare and contrast that attitude with that of Olivier Ntcham, who has done little else but sulk since around the time his mentor Brendan Rodgers left. Ntcham was offered big money to go to Manchester City feeder club Girona, but instead elected to work under Rodgers at Celtic, for considerably less money.

That did earn him respect, but his behaviour in the last few months has lost him any if not all of that, and it may be a case of the sooner the better for his departure.

Lennon said last week that he was a bit annoyed with him, but would have clear the air talks with the player, presumably followed by “clear you locker ” talks…

From what Lennon said last week, I’d guess those talks have already took place, and Ntcham is merely waiting to see where he moves his stuff to.

Lennon has already acquired something of a reputation as a no nonsense manager among the players, and perhaps thats whats needed to keep everyone on their toes.

 

We were interested to spot this in todays Record..

Kieran Tierney is facing a fight to be fit for the start of the season as the in-demand Celtic star is still being plagued by pelvis problems.

Manager Lennon said;

KT is still having problems with the pubic injury, we will need to get to the bottom of that. 

In terms of the double hernia, that’s all sorted. But he’s still saying he’s a bit sore to start running.

“I don’t think it gets any worse but there’s just a constant dull pain there.

“Eventually. You can mature out of it. I have seen that. But right now, he still feels a lot of discomfort with it.

“The rest won’t do him any harm at all. He will benefit from it. We don’t want him to be out for too long but we need to get him right.

“He now has some competition in Boli Mbombo too, so that means he can step in. That might take the weight off him a bit.” 

None of this is news to regular diary readers, the players hip has apparently been an issue for some time, with him not getting the rest he needed to allow it to repair.

If I may speculate for a moment, and tie this in with what the player seemingly told one of our drunks last week about it not looking like he was going to Arsenal after all, something we’ve never claimed he was, then perhaps we are on the point of spotting why no one has matched the asking price for the player yet, and maybe, just maybe, he’ll get some time to rest that hip and get himself fit without worrying about new clubs -apart from the one across the city, that is…not that any of us are worried about them.

 

They are about to sign some guy for around £3.5m, which will rise to about £10m by the time the press are finished with the story.

Which reminds me, there was further evidence that at least one reporter isn’t really a reporter at all, but a fantasist, or a bloody liar, depending on which way you look at it.

Chris “Union ” Jack, the Ibrox cheerleader in the Ibrox cheerleading Evening times, had this piece pulled, to prevent him pulling anyone else’s piece, after he got all mixed up about who “rangers ” would play next in europe should they get away with fielding improperly registered players against St Josephs…wait until after the second leg before hurling your complaints to UEFA…

Shenkdija are Celtic’s next potential opponents, something you’d have thought the Shkendija manager would have been aware of…

Unless, of course, Jack is lying and he never spoke to him at all…

Image result for point gif

Kind of destroys any credibility Jack has, doesn’t it ?

Image result for point gif

 

Anyhoo, we sort of knew that already.

Another example of selective reporting was shot down when “rangers ” new boy Joe Aribo said that he didn;t know Celtic were after him as well as “rangers ” , as was widely reported in Scotland..

“I wasn’t aware of that but my agent might know a bit more about that.

“There were a few others but once I had spoken to the gaffer I knew this is where I wanted to go.

“It’s a massive club with a great history and great facilities that can help me improve.” 

You’d think his agent would have mentioned if a Champions League club were after him…

 

Which leads me to the “arms race ” alluded to by the media in Scottish football.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon issues Rangers transfer warning as summer spending battle hots up

CELTIC boss Neil Lennon insists his club will not be dragged into an arms race with Rangers as both teams compete for new signings between now and the end transfer window.

Celtic are financially way, way ahead of their “rivals “.

There is no comparison in budget, no comparison in the quality of relative transfer targets, and no comparison in the deals or prospects on offer between the two clubs.

To illustrate this, we have the new merchandising arm of the Ibrox club, which is indicative of where that operation is at the moment…

They’ve hired a couple of guys to run it…

Image result for del and rodney

 

Having missed out on

Knob of the Week 

Yesterday due to technical issues-I forgot what day it was-I’m pleased to say that we can announce it today.

It’s not these two…though any other week…

It’s not even any of these two, though I’m certain their time will come…

Image result for johnson and hunt

This week, they’ve all been usurped by the freedom seeking jourbnalists Stephen Yaxley Lennon and Tommy Robinson, the dopey duo who filmed themselves breaking the law and then wondered why they were sent to prison for doing so.

The pair even asked fuckwitted US president Donald Trump to save them from prison, by claiming he wanted refugee status, as his life was in danger…as irony proved yet again it can be pretty ironic sometimes.

Incredibly, he has garnered considerable support among supporters who really should know better..

I’m in London at the sentencing hearing of Tommy Robinson, the first journalist imprisoned for contempt of court in the UK since the 1940s. If this were Russia or Iran we’d call him a political prisoner. For more updates and to help cover my costs, visit

He’s not a journalist. He’s not even Tommy Robinson.

Still, its refreshing to see at least one of his supporters can actually string a sentence together, even if its not as long as the one Lennon Robinson got…

So, in a two for one special Etims

Knob of The Week 

There can only be two winners..

Image result for tommy robinson appeals for Trump

Image result for tommy robinson appeals for Trump

Caption competition time now…yesterday we had this..

 

Image result for orange walk women

R.St.Parsley July 12, 2019 at 3:40 pm · Edit · Reply →

Caption:
Ma drum goes boom bang-a-bang, boom bang-a-bang
When Ah am near
A chapel or school where the Cafflicks kin hear. 

Though this also deserves an honourable mention..

Magdalena’s Chestnut Gelding July 12, 2019 at 6:40 pm · Edit · Reply →

Caption

“Who let the dogs out? Who let the dogs out? Woof woof woof” 

Today..

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D'Fhinnein Mick
4 years ago

CAPTION

You going anywhere warm,pal? It’s like fucking Siberia out here?

D'Fhinnein Mick
4 years ago

RALPH

That’s a great spot on the Chris Jack article,mate. Hat doffed.

Bognorbhoy
4 years ago

CAPTION..

Boo-Boo Bear: But Yogi, the Ranger’s not going to like it.

Don’t worry boo boo the rangers are deid..we can use their jet…

Monti
4 years ago

Caption: ” Stupid, stupid bears,plane daft “

Honest hoops
4 years ago

Caption; at the airplane salvage yard, the head of ipox travel department declares this plane as the “official” choice….

4 years ago

They two other pricks done the off

4 years ago

Caption, The Bears find out that the rangers aren’t coming
and aren’t even going

Brencelt
4 years ago

Caption: Answer to the age old question. Does a bear sh1t in the woods?
No he does it on the plains / plane

Puggy67
4 years ago

Caption: Hope I’m not sitting beside some big fat bastard.

Monti
4 years ago

Still no right back purchased?
Woeful, shambles, mismanagement at Lawwell level.

Be patient? Fuck that, be fucking ruthless & professional…..for a change for fuck sake!

Strategy is fucking pish & has been for a while, also never mind waiting on Ntcham to return to give him a dressing down, fucking sell him asap…oh and buy a fucking right back with the money.
Wake fucking up Celtic & start getting fucking serious in this window!!!

Monti
4 years ago

Caption: ” Just drop me off on top of these pallets, so i can maul some of them “

alzyerpal
4 years ago

Caption : One Rangers* fan (The best fans in the world*), a close friend of Chris Jack,is so confidant of seeing St Josephs off, that he has already boarded the plane to Macedonia for the Shkendija game

D'Fhinnein Mick
4 years ago
Reply to  alzyerpal

Brilliant!

Una
4 years ago

Caption

chris jack the bear faced flyer

Mike
4 years ago

Look, its the bear necissities,
those simple bear obscenities,
That brings their bear hostilities,
to beat upon their wives…

Monti
4 years ago

Weeks into the transfer window, one if not two right backs need to be purchased, at least one central defender & a replacement for Moussa Dembele is required?
We are in the middle of our biggest games of the season again playing Bitton at central defence?
It’s not fucking good enough, we are supposed to be ” working hard behind the scenes “, are we aye?
How fucking hard are we working?
Maybe go a bit fucking quicker then?

How fucking hard is it to find an excellent right back or any fucking player in any fucking position, with the tens & tens of thousands of players throughout the fucking world??

WAKE UP, Fuck me min, how fucking hard can it fucking be???

Tim Buffy
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Funny how you don’t have to look at the name above Monti’s posts to know who’s written them.

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Tim Buffy

Tim,
Whatever could you mean?

Mike
4 years ago

Its those simple bear obscenities,
That means they must fly economy,
A simple bear necessity of life…

Pedro
4 years ago

King’s exhaust gets the broxi bear brown-nose of approval.

Mike
4 years ago

Just walk away Rennes,
You wont see me follow you back home,
Your not to blame…

Uralius
4 years ago

Caption: In further cost cutting attempts Ryan Air pull funding for staff uniforms and allow their stewardesses to board the aircraft bear.

Uralius
4 years ago

Maybe Marseille can take Ntcham with them.

henkesdreadlocks
4 years ago

Caption………..

Grizzly cabin crew checks her flaps.

Cole Burns
4 years ago

Time Lennon stopped talking to these ratbag bigots in the media. All he needed to say was that he was looking for quality rather than quantity and was trying to offload duds rather than herding them in and then walk away. I would keep answering their questions with a question of my own.

D'Fhinnein Mick
4 years ago
Reply to  Cole Burns

That’s the problem with being a club that’s open to all. Seems it also includes fuckwits who get paid for hating us.

portpower
4 years ago

If no then.

portpower
4 years ago

16

4 years ago

Ralston shite Henderson a future star. That was like watching paint dry

Patrick O Hara
4 years ago

Today’s replies are so good I won’t even try to compete. The green eyed god of Kathmandu!!!

Cartvale88
4 years ago

What a waste of an afternoon. If this is what is coming God help us.

Ok lots of changes, but no inspiration,Broonie burnt out, lost it, poor against Saraj visit nans today

Caption

We are the peepul

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Cartvale88

Cartvale,
Very harsh on the players i think, the players have had three weeks off since delivering their THIRD consecutive treble, yet you are moaning yer pus aff because we didn’t hit the heights in a pre season friendly?

Fuck me min!

Patrick O Hara
4 years ago

Ranger’s latest multi million pound signing leaves from Calderpark Airport.

Uralius
4 years ago

So I’m guessing thon friendly was gash.

Monti
4 years ago

Caption: “Fuck British Airways, i’m Irish so it’s Bear Lingus for me “

Irishmaninporto
4 years ago

See oul Union is playing the “not my fault guv was a freelancer who filed the copy” So …. question … was it in his column ? If so he should have signed off on it … professional (yeah I know .. a stretch where Union is concerned !!) standards should be observed … if he is a card carrying member then the NUJ should take action!
Also … does the editor not take some blame over what is printed in their paper ???
Anyhow … I am currently following the Algerian team here in Egypt who have somehow made it to the semi finals… tomorrow they play Nigeria after beating Ivory Coast on penalties … As an aside having seen Zaha up close …how the feck can they rate him at over 60 million quid … jaysus the guy was terrible!!

Uralius
4 years ago

When you’re going down on record saying anything you better check your source.

R.St.Parsley
4 years ago

Have you seen the Hun fan who walks the streets of Govan
Reading the Record for the latest ‘news’?
In his eyes you’ll see no light because he’s as thick as shite
His brain still pickled in yesterday’s booze.

How can you tell me he’s normal
To call him a moron would be kind
Let me take you by the hand
I’ll lead you through the streets of Govan
I’ll show you Hun fans to make you change your mind.

And have you seen the Hunette outside a run-down Ibrox
Hatchet-faced bint like a man in drag?
Handing out her number hoping to get a lumber
Covering her face with a carrier bag.

So how can you tell me she’s female
She’s like the bride Frankenstein declined
Let me take you by the hand
I’ll lead you through the streets of Govan
I’ll show you Hunettes to make you change your mind.

And have you seen the drunk Hun pishing up against the chapel
Shouting abuse about the Pope of Rome?
He’s no time for talking, he’s busy Orange-walking
Spitting at priests and telling Taigs to go home.

So how can you tell me he’s human
When evolution’s left him behind
Let me take you by the hand
I’ll lead you through the streets of Govan
I’ll show you Huns there to make you change your mind.

4 years ago

Pretty good mate raw natural talent. I cried when I read this

Mike
4 years ago

It looks like once again we are floundering around in the dark like a blindfolded drunk. We read of four hour exhausting transfer meetings that even include phone calls to Brendan Rodgers. It seems that we have once again failed to bring in the players targeted for specific areas. It must be desperate because if you telephone previous managers it means that you don’t have a fucking clue yourself. Either Congerton or the new guy who specialised in the championship scouting have identified players but they could not be signed sealed or delivered. It begs the question why TF are we scouting only down south? where wages are super inflated and reality bites, disappointment looms so that once again we are lost and don’t have a clue who to sign. Forward planning does not exist as we sit whistling Dixie. With more serious games fast approaching once again we are not prepared despite having millions in the biscuit tin. Its a joke, Stephen O’Donnell stand by your phone…

Puggy67
4 years ago

There’s a great article about KT, Forrest, CalMac as the naughties quality street kids and how Celtic’s youth policy may be about to shatter the Scottish transfer fee in the….nowhere. Gift of a piece that no one wants to write. Wrong club clearly.

Uralius
4 years ago

Bogdan Milovanov I’m telling you.

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