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Celtic Diary Saturday August 10: Yellow Alert At Fir Park

After a largely uneventful week, Celtic are back in action at noon against Motherwell, a must attend game for anybody who fancies time travel and wants to see what life was like in the sixties.

And we could be in trouble…

Celtic squad isn’t good enough and anyone on board who thinks otherwise is delusional – Chris Sutton

He’s off again, the likeable big lug has chipped in his tuppence worth about the state of play at Celtic. His point…

Celtic are still short of the quality needed if they are to make a decent fist of the Champions League. 

is a good one, but the headline implies that we are going to struggle domestically, which is highly unlikely, even if this is true..

Rangers have announced the signing of Manchester City winger Brandon Barker – and handed Celtic a considerable psychological blow in the process.

Rival boss Neil Lennon is known to be a fan of Barker having managed the youngster during his impressive loan-spell with Hibs.

Barker was also on Celtic’s leaked transfer document which detailed a range of targets the club were working on. 

So was Joe Aribo, and its obvious now that the leaked document was a ploy to get the Ibrox club to sign the diddies that Celtic fans were screaming about.

Celtic haven’t finished in the transfer market yet, so we’d be wise to pay no attention to anything the manager or anyone else is saying. After all, there’s no point in shouting about having money to spend as it will simply mean potential targets suddenly cost more…

Todays game should be interesting, Celtic opened with seven goals last week, adding to an already impressive goals for column, whilst Motherwell have yet to concede in five games this season.

Their manager, Stephen Robinson, explained why they only drew their league opener with Livingston last week…

“We didn’t put our stamp on the game, we didn’t play the football we wanted to play. The good thing is – Celtic won’t have seen how we can play.

Rest assured, the Motherwell Stamp will be on view today…

One of the reasons Keiran Tierney went on loan to Arsenal to work on his fitness for a few years could well have been the cloggers at clubs like Motherwell, who down to a lack of technical ability and some imaginative interpretation of the rules by referees, were allowed more or less a free hand -and foot-at assaulting him every time he had the ball.

If he didn’t have the ball, he would be battered in case he got it.

He’s been in London for just two days and he’s already getting fitter…

Top Bin
 
@topbin_football
 
Here’s Kieran Tierney breaking Arsenal’s vertical leap test with 55cm’s. Previous holder was

with 54cm 

There’s a video accompanying the tweet, which shows him doing it, which is a relief to all of us who thought he had dodgy hips….
Read into that what you will… and ask yourself this…

rabbit slippers

 
 
@hoopydays07
 
Can a guy who booked a dentist appointment for the same day we clinched an invincible treble really be classed as a club legend
With the return match against Cluj, a game delicately poised at 1-1 , on Tuesday, there is a possibility Neil Lennon may rest a couple of players, but when Celtic do that, there tends to be a break in momentum and we always ask ourselves why we changed anything.
 Lennon, like his mentor Martin O’Neill, doesn’t arse about with one or two changes, he tends to swap nearly everyone, often drafting in supporters who have brought their own boots, so it’s unclear how he will line up for this one.
Given Motherwell’s enthusiastic approach to these games, I’d suggest a “best fighters ” eleven, but he’s more likely to stick with those who are already up to speed fitness wise..
The Daily Star, quite possibly the home of the least expert football experts, put their predicted line up in a picture, as most of their readers struggle with words.
Celtic team news vs Motherwell
They couldn’t even be bothered to give Scott Bain a proper goalkeeper top..
I’d suggest that they might not be far off with this prediction, however, but if Lennon is going to rest anyone, my money would be on Brown, Elhamed, Forrest and Christie. And Morgan, who could do with a break.
That would mean a chance for Ntcham, Ralston, Sinclair and Shved to get some game time, and possibly help Boli settle in a wee bit quicker, as he isn’t getting any help from the guy in front of him.
It might even be prudent to stick Biton in midfield, and introduce Jullien, who looks as if he can look after himself, especially if Brown is rested.
Celtic failed twice to beat Motherwell at Fir Park last season, so if you’re looking for signs of improvement, today is where we would hope to find them.
The referee is Nick Walsh, which means we can all make a few quid on betting on yellow cards..
We understand that he forgot to pick his cards up off the dressing room table in Minsk…
In all competitions last season, 43 games saw him hand out 156 yellow cards…15 of them in the four games featuring Celtic.
This will be one of those games where any win will do, and no one gets added to the doctors appointment list.
Elsewhere, and it appears those big hands are empty….

Ex-Rangers chief says ‘unlawful arrest’ ruined his life in £20m legal claim

We should all chip in. This man sacrficed everything to give us years of laughter and contentment.

Former Rangers chief executive Charles Green who is suing police and prosecutors over his ‘wrongful arrest’ is claiming the actions were unlawful and ruined his life.

The businessman was originally accused of breaking the law in relation to his consortium’s £5.5million purchase of the football club from Craig Whyte in 2012 and Mr Whyte’s 2011 takeover.

In February last year the Herald revealed that Mr Green and finance chief Imran Ahmad would face no further proceedings in connection with the club fraud and conspiracy case as prosecutors said there was “now no evidence of a crime”.

Looks like the pantomime season is kicking in early this year.

 

Speaking of pantomimes, apparently there was a last minute bid from baddie Brendan Rodgers for our hero Calum MacGregor. The story, originally broken in supermarionation by Lawwell press favourite Stephen MacGowan, may not be all it seems…

First there was a bid, then there was no bid, just an approach, and then finally…

 

Lennon said: “There was an approach for Callum. We knew about it and there’s no more to it.

“We made it pretty clear that we wanted Callum to stay. He’s an important player here. 

And apparently he’s about to get a new deal…

We really need to do something about our PR department, such as hire one.

 

Anyway, time now for us to do our bit to help those less fortunate than ourselves…

Image

 

Speaking of buying things…this is out soon, in a limited edition….details to follow

During the six years of World War II organised football in Scotland was ‘unofficial’. Most clubs utilised the services of guest players, usually footballers stationed in Scotland on military service. One such man was Matt Busby, a Scottish internationalist and a Liverpool player; born in Lanarkshire, he volunteered his services to Celtic … but his offer was rejected. Celtic’s decline continued through the war, and for some seasons afterwards. Busby turned out for Hibernian and transformed them into an effective and attractive team. After the war, of course, he became manager of Manchester United, at the time a struggling outfit. More than any man, he deserves credit for them evolving into the super-club of today. But, what might have happened had he turned out for Celtic during those wartime seasons? This novel, with its blend of reality and fiction, its evocation of those times, its clubs, players and personalities explores that possibility. If only … 

 

Tom Campbell’s A Very Different Paradise charts with astonishing period detail what happened when Busby took over at Celtic.

When you read this, I promise you you’ll go back to the Celtic website, just to check it really was fiction.

 

We go back to Thursday for this…

Image result for cluj 1 celtic 1

Patrick o Hara August 8, 2019 at 12:14 pm · Edit · Reply →

Caption. Gang of six plot the Great Training Robbery. 

today, one for any Arsenal fans looking in.

 

 

 

Image

Thats not the caption competition, by the way.

Thats just for Arsenal fans.

this is the caption competition,

Image

 

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tony carlin"
4 years ago

Celtic prepare to defend against Murderwell physical onslaught

Mike A
4 years ago

Caption….Oh bugger, did any of you lot bring a poop bag?

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago

Fir Park has often been a very tricky away venue for us and in fact we only came away with a draw on our last three visits there. The steelmen have started their season quite well with no slip-ups (a total of 0 goals conceded) in their league cup qualifying group while their defence also held firm on that shit plastic pitch at the Tony Macaroni last weekend against Livi. This will be a new-look Motherwell that we’ll see today as they’ve brought in about ten new faces, including some pacey young players. In midfield Sloth is no slouch alhthough I read that he’s doubtful for today’s game. Alongside, 21-year-old Allan Campbell is a consistent enough performer but they’ll obviously be missing the injured Turnbull and the transferred Hastie quite a lot. While their defence will undoubtedly be weakened by the absence of suspended left-back Jake Carrol, they have been pretty solid in that department thanks to the input of veteran right back Richard Tait and the introduction of new centre back Declan Gallagher, recently brought in from Livi. Dutch winger Sherwin Seedorf (a distant relative of Clarence) is fast and full of raw talent but flashy new Congolese centre forward Christy Manzinga, an ex-youth prospect at PSG, will be out injured for some time to come. They’re bound to defend tightly but also put themselves about quite a bit attempting to use that tight pitch to their advantage.

In the Celtic camp Hatem Elhamed picked up a slight niggle the other night in Romania while Mikey Johnston hasn’t fully recovered from a knock received last Saturday but could make the return leg against Cluj. With Jozo suspended again and Lenny probably relcutant to throw in Ralston, this game is crying out for a 3-5-2 formation which would serve up another great opportunity for Eddy and Griff to forge a fruitful partnership up front. McGregor and Christie are both certs to start but could be given a rest in the second half if things are going well and we’re two or three goals up. Solid and competent defending, fast tempo, crisp precision passing, a bit of patience whilst trying to find openings and some clinical finishing should do the job.

Bain

Ajer Julienne Bitton

Forrest Brown Christie McGregor Bolingoli

Griffiths Edouard

Subs: Gordon, Ralston, Hayes, Ntcham, Henderson, Sinclair, Shved.

(Ntcham, Henderson and Shved to feature)

Prediction: Motherwell 0 Celtic 2 (Edouard, Christie)

COYBIG

Good luck to the Hibees in the hundrome tomorrow.

Uralius
4 years ago
Reply to  Yoker Bhoy

That’s great stuff Yorker! Next time why don’t you bulk it up a bit more by going a little bit more in depth on likely danger areas and possible weaknesses then put it in an email and send it to Ralph on Thursday?

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago
Reply to  Uralius

Cheers Uralius, I’m really not anything like as good a tactical analyst as yourself. I just enjoy trying to provide a light-hearted appetiser shortly before some of our games. Enjoy today’s game mate and let’s hope we get the right result.

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Yoker Bhoy

Yoker,
Did you lift this piece from Charlie Saiz? I mean he just naturally springs to mind when reading an informed article.

🙂

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Naw, I’m proud to write my own pish without having to copy others.

😉

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

🙂

Uralius
4 years ago

Caption: Pitch invasion! Wait until you see the whites of their eyes boys.

the real Anton Rogan
4 years ago

Caption: 3rd Battalion, Lanarkshire Referees association terrorises dogs as they come out of the vets

Markspur
4 years ago

Caption – Right you luverly ETims source gatherers! Get out there and check every Celtic webzine and avenue possible so we can cleverly plagiarize every joke and comment and make them our own! Also if you can find a new left-back for Lenny for under a fiver, PL will be extremely grateful! COYBIG!

Monti
4 years ago

Caption: ” Right, which one of you said ‘ Walkies ‘?

Uralius
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Bahaha!

Holysmokes
4 years ago

Caption: Motherwell’s defensive line at 12 o’clock today.

Markspur
4 years ago

Caption – Be ready my luverly Steelman! The Celtic attack is formidable and extremely dangerous. But remember, do not smash into them from the front and only when the bluenose ref is actually on the pitch, yellow cards in extreme circumstances can excuse the SFA from holding an enquiry after! COYBIG!

Mike
4 years ago

And the Glasgow Celtic will be there.

Gordon,

Ralston, (every team needs a bitta bite) Jullien, Ajer, Hayes.

Bitton, McGregor, (six year contract yah beauty).

Christie, ( he knows where Amorillo is).

Forrest, Griff. Sinclair. COYBIG.

Markspur
4 years ago

Caption – Terrible news coach, Griff has outflanked us and while we’re looking the wrong way he is tying his colours to the goal post! COYBIG!

jimmybee
4 years ago

Celtic will hump Motherwell keep the faith.
Caption: The famous British army scared of a dog.

Markspur
4 years ago

Caption – Can any of ye bastards see our pet mascot yet? COYBIG!

portpower
4 years ago

Have a Grand and safe day Ghirls and Bhoys.

Imagine the carnage from the Celtic critics if the scoreline ends up 3-3.

Enjoy

Caption:
Sentry herding chevron huns.

Markspur
4 years ago

Caption – Honestly Gerrard, the coach driver asked specific directions at Parkhead, and Ibrox is out here somewhere! COYBIG!

jimmybee
4 years ago

Bain
Ajer Bitton Jullien
El Hamed Hayes
Brown
Forrest Christie McGregor
Griff.
4_0 the bhoys

Markspur
4 years ago

Caption – Honestly captain, we’ve checked every inch of this land of the Sassenachs for a decent game since KT came south to this dump and not a sniff. Can we head back to Paradise now? COYBIG!

Bognorbhoy
4 years ago

The Henrik pic

He’s staring into the big cup because he’s sure he can see big BIlly staring back

Bognorbhoy
4 years ago

Caption

Sentries have come in from the hill, sir…. They report dogs to the southeast….thousands of them
Well one really …his name is butch.

Mike
4 years ago

Caption: Armed forces day in the year 2011, the last sapper.

4 years ago

Classic defensive military formation,so…

CAPTION

Anyone fancy a square go?

paddybhoy67
4 years ago

Caption: Fenian dug hypnotises Brits in Govan

The Bahia Emerald
4 years ago

CAPTION: “Zombies, fowsands of ‘em”

Patrick Street
4 years ago

Gerard’s Laptop Loyal Brigade hunker down to prepare to defend him from the dogs of truth for another season in his Bore War.

Desmond and The Dekkers
4 years ago

Caption: regulars at the electric bar airbles give hoopy the huddle hound a warm reception ahead of today’s match

Honest hoops
4 years ago

Caption; right lads.. the dug is back…so we now need to find where he hid the stick..

Monti
4 years ago

Caption: No they won’t be walkies down Garvaghy road!

4 years ago

Caption ,Sorry sarge,but they are still not coming

portpower
4 years ago

Tic tales to Terrify:

Shall it be announced at half-time that we`ve signed Rico Henry?
Though,more likely to be that Calmac`s been sold.

greyheid
4 years ago

Caption on the King of Kings pic (yeah yeah I know its not the caption….but couldn’t resist)

“After finishing second to the (vastly superior) Kris Boyd as top SPL goalscorer the plucky Swede’s career went downhill very quickly”

Mike
4 years ago

Interesting team selection, C’mon the Dolly Mixtures.

Rob O'Keeffe
4 years ago

Excellent that Dermot phoned BR to personally tell him to GTF……Caption: Oh no,I can feel some of that PTSD stuff coming on…..
Murderwell today? No wonder guys like KT want to bodyswerve Scottish ‘football’…..

Mike
4 years ago

Get tore intae them Jelly Babies, mind and watch out for they cheating masonic Liquorice Allsorts.

BJF
4 years ago

Lenny said on Thursday that Elhamed and Mikey aren’t fit for today, can’t understand why folk pick him in their guess for today. I can understand why he has rested Odsonne and Christie, we have only one crack at the Champions League.
My nightmare is that Calmac will go next year and Ryan Christie the year after is that our future really. I suppose what happened to us over KT is what happens to Motherwell with most of their squad every year, that is the nature of Scottish football. Interested in the debate should Turnbull have said he only wants to stay at Motherwell, he is paid well enough compared to other local young men his age or shoukd he go to Celtic for money and trophies?

portpower
4 years ago

Pick it oot

portpower
4 years ago

There has to come a time when the Manager tells the trainer to sit back down and instructs to the injured player,’run it off.’

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago

A hard-fought, highly-charged tussle so far. The footie on show is far from perfect but, at the same time, anything but boring. Liam Donnelly took his goal for the Well well (see what I did there?) but Boli was hesitant and Scott Bain really should have done better (I reckon big Craig would’ve stopped that one). Great fightback though with two fine goals and hopefully plenty more to come. I think and hope our superior fitness will tell in the second half and Motherwell should run out of steam leaving plenty of gaps in their midfield and defence for us to exploit. Interesting to see that Bayo is on the bench – maybe we’ll get a wee glimpse of what he has to offer later on.

Doc
4 years ago
Reply to  Yoker Bhoy

“I reckon big Craig would’ve stopped that one”, I’ve found myself saying that more and more.

Monti
4 years ago
Reply to  Doc

Doc,
PISH

Doc
4 years ago
Reply to  Monti

I think Gordon is a much better shot stopper.

Uralius
4 years ago
Reply to  Doc

Time either goalie was given a settled back 4 with 2 CBs playing CB, a RB playing RB and a less erratic LB.

Doc
4 years ago

Very poor in first half, left side shocking, midfield so flat. Griffiths looks lively but isolated, Forrest, Bitton and Ajer playing very well.

Doc
4 years ago

Morgan’s awareness/reading the game is very poor (said that when he signed). If he moves five yards with the ball/to get the ball he seems to lose track of where everyone is.

Mike
4 years ago

A slow start to the game, we have to press harder, That’s the right back position sorted and big Jullien is doing well. Uncharacteristic mistake by Bain. Still need that midfield sorted and Morgan’s slow to press but improving as the game went on. Wee Jamesie dane a Jamesie always dangerous. Gridd dane what Griff does scores goals.

MOT half time, the man mountain with talent tae match Kris Boyd the biggest fanny in the west, scrub that Kris Ajer.

DorsetCelt
4 years ago

Recruitment must be questioned when Ajer (as stand-in right back) and Bitton (stand-in centre half) are head and shoulders above Boli and Jullien who together cost about £10m. We cannot go to bigotdome on 1st September with these guys unless they improve a hell of a lot.

Morgan equally unimpressive. Not a Johnny Hayes fan but he is much better than Boli or Morgan.

Great goal from Ajer!

HH

Mike
4 years ago

Slow start, no press at the front, miss Odsonne, great goal Big Kris and free kick Griff. Poor in the midfield that needs sorted as big Kris solves the R.B. position, penalty my arse. Like big Jullien and Bitton, as they Murderwell, start to blow out their arses..

Uralius
4 years ago

CS I had to have a look at the all important international stats of Birger Meling. He’s played enough internationals to really qualify for a work permit should BREXIT actually happen. Yes it’s a no brainer.

portpower
4 years ago

Sweet…Just sweet.

Patrick o Hara
4 years ago

Caption. British prepare for no deal Brexit at Strabane border crossing.

portpower
4 years ago

Andy Walker`ld naturally undermine the IQ in a fish bowl.

Doc
4 years ago

Pushing Ntcham forward really opened the game up. Looked really good in the second half. An entertaining game and a brilliant result.

Yoker Bhoy
4 years ago

Not a vintage performance and sloppy at times (especially at the end of the game but it didn’t matter by then). Some very good stuff shown by Ajer, Ntcham, Forrest and Eddy though and a fine result in a nasty place to visit. Even Boli improved a lot in the second half but he has a long way to go. We urgently need a quality LB who can defend well. The main thing at the moment is to keep getting these valuable points on the board and I expect we’ll be stronger by the time the transfer window closes. Now we can focus on Cluj, which is only 3 days away.

highseastim
4 years ago

Another bad day for the “panty wetters” who were apoplectic before the game regarding Lenny’s team selection thank god they have no input in team selection!! Far better from Bolingoli today, I think Morgan is trying too hard When was the last time after two games our goals column was 12 for and two against, if ever, and that’s including traditionally one of our hardest away games against the Lanarkshire cloggers!! In Lenny I trust.

BJF
4 years ago

Shame about the last minute goal, Motherwell put everything into the first 20 minutes but after that it was all Celtic. Morgan and Boli improved in the second half but need more game time in this team. For me Julien bossed the back and again when he beds in will help cope with Boyata’s departure. Would have liked to see Shved and Bayo but Lennon sensibly has his eye on Tuesday, lot of guys got game time with Elhamed and Mikey likely to feature also. I thought Ajer looked good when he came back from Killie, then I thought in a couple of years he is going to be a total star and do you know, he is even better than that, strikers goal tidayband could play midfield. I have advocated resting players but we usually struggle today our “ second “ squad looked brilliant, after the first 20 minutes,although obviously Christie and Odsonne came on.

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