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Celtic Diary Tuesday July 20: Are We Ready ?

It’s that time of year again, and Celtic kick off their season tonight with the home leg of a UCL qualifier against Midtyjlland of Denmark.

 

Wish it was Ajax. Far easier to spell.

 

 

The media are already praying for disaster, with Keith Jackson of the Record trying to plant the idea that Ange Postecoglou will be annoyed with Dominic Mckay should things go wrong in the tie.

 

Should it all go wrong for Ange Postecoglou against the Danes, McKay’s bottom line is in for a pounding.

As much as £40million is about to go on the line here but the big Aussie goes into this tie with hands tied behind his back given the lamentable lack of forward planning which has coincided with the handover of power from the imperious Peter Lawwell.  

 

 

Frankly, all I..and probably you…care about is that the team gels sooner rather than later and Celtic are playing some sort of group stage football until christmas.

 

 

None of the blame for the current mess lies with either of those two, but they are playing the hand they’ve been dealt, which could turn out to be to our advantage.

 

If we don’t know who or how Ange will play it tonight, then neither will the Danes.

 

That should give us enough time to put the game, and possibly even the tie, to bed.

 

 

Optimism ahead of realism ?

 

Possibly.

 

 

From Ange’s post Preston match demeanour, you could tell he was disappointed, and no wonder, but with such a monumental game afterwards, players minds would have been elsewhere.

 

To be disappointed after a friendly is no bad thing, it shows he has high standards, and it will be a few weeks yet before he realises exactly which players share them.

 

 

With Barkas the number one choice in goal, it remains to be seen who plays in front of him, or indeed how many play in front of him.

 

With Kris Ajer off to Brentford he won’t be there, and the swiftness with the decision to sell him shows that unrest won’t be tolerated. Ajer will have plenty of time to wonder if he could have joined a bigger club had he waited and played his part at Celtic.

 

 

That might also have others such as Ryan Christie and Oddsone Edoaurd pausing for thought, but they both need to show much more if they aren’t to end up at a Fulham or a Watford.

 

 

As it stands, we’ll have to wait and see which way the manager plays it, and he’ll know who he can rely on, so if it’s one of those team selections that has you scratching your head, you can be assured he’ll have his reasons.

 

 

although the money is better in the champions League, a lot of it is down to gate receipts , and with the plague still in town, it’s unlikely there would have been any full houses before christmas anyway, so not qualifying isn;t as much of a hit as it would have been ordinarily.

 

Maybe it is better to rack up a few co efficient points in a lesser tournament to ensure that Scotland retains an automatic qualifying spot for when ange has got the players and the style he’s working towards.

 

 

sometimes you have to take a step back to take two forward….

 

 

Should Celtic triumph against the Danes, then either PSV Eindhoven or Galatasaray lie in wait.

 

Defeat means a Europa tie against Jablonec of Czechia.

 

 

Unlike when Gordon Strachan took charge , defeat doesn’t end our European adventure, and lets face it, we’re not ready to compete in the UCL yet. There’s no shame in that, as long as it can be seen we are working towards it.

 

 

And early signs are good, with a couple of players brought in who look like they are hungry enough and talented enough to build the new team around.

 

Of course, I’d rather we qualify, it would speed up the learning process, but if we don’t , its not the end of the world.

 

 

One wonders of all the pressure being placed on Celtic is to deflect from problems at Ibrox…it usually is.

 

It may just be that the papers won;t pay the money demanded by the Ibrox entity for coverage, and of course, the media won’t mention that.

 

Or will they mention that Conor Goldson, their central defender, won;t sign a new contract, and has told friends he intends to run the current one down because “rangers ” blocked his move to West Brom a while back…or that a couple of others aren;t happy, a result of the FTP singing which was promptly swept under the carpet.

 

 

And then there’s Alfredo Morelos…in fact there will always be Alfredo Morelos, because no one wants him, certainly not at the asking price, and the same goes for Glen Kamara, hyped way beyond his ability, and appearing to believe it, he seems to think he’s destined for a big money move, but again, suitors are in short supply.

 

 

We have our problems, but we have a man who, given time, can sort them.

 

 

They’ve got Steven Gerrard, who managed to win one trophy out of three when his major rival was on its knees.

 

 

They’re terrified of what might happen this season, hence the stories of unrest at Celtic.

 

Keep the faith, it’s going to be worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Monti
2 years ago

There will be NO CL football this season, there is only going to be heartache & pain!

2 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Time for the happy pills and that’s for Ange

Monti
2 years ago
Reply to  Weered

Weered,
It’s just a mess m8

Monti
2 years ago

The Celtic PLC board have driven our club off a cliff, i won’t be anywhere near a Celtic game until they are gone!

BJF
2 years ago

Some positives, the manager seems to be capable, young players like Montgomery and Eoin Henderson when played in centre midfield and not wide, look to have real potential. Will Christie wise up or is haunted by his father’s lack of achievement. The young Israeli looked to have potential too. Who was the keeper with the two smart saves against PNE disguised as Barkas? Got a ticket for tonight it will be brilliant to be back at Celtic Park, where else would you rather be?

Admin
2 years ago
Reply to  BJF

Christie has 6 months left on his contract. Another nail in the Lawwell-Lennon Management coffin to let it get to that stage.

Monti
2 years ago
Reply to  BJF

Baw deep in Scarlet Johansson

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Only one? Hey ho Adolf.

2 years ago

Easier to count them

Iancelt67
2 years ago

Well having low expectations about the tie certainly helps a bit. Over the anger it is what it is. Peeved at Ntcham tho he could’ve done a job here

Frank McGaaaarvey
2 years ago

How much time does Ange get to stamp his authority at Celtic? Thanks to the boards ineptitude he has only been here a couple of weeks and with the Euros and the inevitable yearly transfer window shambles he has barely had enough time to get to know everyone’s name, far less implement his footballing philosophy.

It was apparent last August that a new manager was needed but here we are rushing out the door at the last minute with one shoe on and toothpaste running down our chins attempting to catch a bus.

I think we still have the best squad on the SPL and I am confident Ange won’t take long to settle in domestically once he gets his message and his players on board. Europe is another matter however and last season we regressed to a level of performance not seen since the pre Martin O’Neill days. It is indicative of where we are at that I would be relatively happy with simply qualifying for the EL group stage at present. The league is a huge target this season with the riches on offer.

Anyway, onwards and upwards and all the best Ange. You’re gonna need it.

Frank McGaaaarvey
2 years ago

We can’t judge him too harshly early on. Remember Brendan Rodgers’ first competitive game in charge…..

The Cha
2 years ago

Then won the tie, qualified for the CL and Invincible Treble.

Mm, so do we want to lose tonight? 😉

Frank McGaaaarvey
2 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

You obviously don’t remember the kneejerk reaction to that defeat do you? When Moussa was labelled the new Amido Balde by some. I’m well aware if what followed that season thanks.

And, no, we don’t want to lose tonight. Any more stupid questions to unload?

The Cha
2 years ago

I was there.

SFTB
2 years ago

If the Earth is flat, how come Easter Road has a slope?

R.St.Parsley
2 years ago
Reply to  SFTB

There is no slope. It’s a lie told by the Masons and the Pope to fool you. If you study the pitch with a high-powered telescope, (as I have been for decades), you’d notice that it only appears to slope when you’re pished (as I have been for decades).

Woof Charlie
2 years ago
Reply to  R.St.Parsley

Ah the Pope slope trope. The Masons are prone to a bevel but are on the level with the devil.

BornCelt!
2 years ago

If Griff is in the squad, it is inconceivable that we are that desperate we need him to perform. All we can do is see how it pans out and get a performance in. The vultures are gathering as Ange is being tested, but he is strong, unlike the MSM pish trying to stir it up. Here is to a good season. HH!

Yoker Bhoy
2 years ago

Difficult to predict a starting line-up for this evening given the special circumstances and the limited playing resources available but here goes anyway: A diamond midfield 4-4-2.

Barkas

O’Connor Welsh Orhoghide Taylor

Soro
Henderson McGregor
Turnbull

Ajeti Edouard

Our back 4 is going to look wobbly whatever players are chosen but I reckon O’Connor is more of an accomplished footballer than Ralston while Bitton probably won’t be able to start as he’s still carrying a back injury. Wee Hendo is a grafter who is capable of producing surprises and I’d have gone with Abada in an attacking wide position but strangely his name hasn’t featured in the squad. Don’t have too much faith in Ajeti but Rogic and Turnbull never seem to play well together. This is where we’re at right now so a decent performance and any type of result to keep the tie very open would do me as our squad could well be a bit stronger in time for the second leg. COYBIG..

The Cha
2 years ago

Nonce.

bgbhoy
2 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

an enabler

The Cha
2 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

This is what he was investigated for, whereas you listen to some “fans” and you would think it was for ‘rustling a sweetie paper too loudly in a built-up area’.

We should never minimise this and if it leads to yet more embarrassment in an area we’ve been trying to get from out under then that is all down to the club.

The Cha
2 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Is that a petted lip I can see starting?

The next flounce can’t be too far away.

bgbhoy
2 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

probably becuase like the majority, they dont want players at the club that ask 15 year old girls for pictures

bgbhoy
2 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

you are

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

C’mon Ange, give us something to cling to. I haven’t a clue how this will go tonight, so just give us some encouragement, that’ll do me.

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago

Using the phone, don’t know how that ended up as a reply to Cha.

Bgbhoy
2 years ago

Shoulda gone to Specsavers old man.

The Cha
2 years ago

Parkhead syndrome.

The infinite patience model that served us so well for ou7r execrable manager last season.

Woof Charlie
2 years ago

Have I fallen foul of Bacofoilgate?

Woof Charlie
2 years ago

I’m saying sack the scouts not the board. Until this Covid malarkey settles foreign players are going to be hesitant. St Johnstone won a double last year. Where’s the Boyd, Robson, Naylor, good pros that did a turn without splashing the cash? Where’s the goalie Tam? Where’s the white women at?

The Cha
2 years ago

For those who like his data analysis, Celtic By Numbers celticbynumberscom.ipage .com, is back in the game.

Good analysis on Ange-Ball and tonight’s game.

Spoiler – it looks good in the long run but lots of pain for the gain.

charlie
2 years ago

2-0 to the celtic tonight turnbull and edouard COYBIG

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  charlie

I’ve got visions of Barkas/Bain getting lobbed from 60 yards al la Marshall.Ange seems to like his goalkeepers patrolling the centre circle when we’re attacking. Hope I’m wrong .

Iancelt67
2 years ago

Bitton Jesus. Someone should’ve got btw him and that little prick.

charlie
2 years ago

barkas isnae good enough imo henke stick the bhoy hazard in he must be used tae playin wae welsh and murray

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago

Yessssssss

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago

What a stupid cvnt Bitton. Get him tae fvck. Idiot.

charlie
2 years ago

a concur

Yoker Bhoy
2 years ago

Looking a far better side than the Danes so far and impressed by the energy levels. Crass stupidity from Bitton but we can definitely keep this lead intact or even increase it the way the game’s going.

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago

Should have won. We don’t have a goalkeeper and that needs sorting immediately. Calmac, Christie, Soro and Welsh were excellent, Ralston deserves a mention too.Harsh free kick for their goal. Onwards and upwards and we’ll beat that lot next week.

highseastim
2 years ago

Same as last season, plenty of chances can’t finish them.

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  highseastim

Nothing like last season. That was a team playing to proper instruction. Night & fvcking day and if you can’t see that you’re as clueless as I thought.

Salad queen
2 years ago

I think you are the one without tic tacks, Barkisland the new centre half?
Same pish as last season.

Bgbhoy
2 years ago
Reply to  Salad queen

Haha oh dear

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  Salad queen

Don’t need tic tacs whatever you are. Maybe you do.

highseastim
2 years ago

Who said anything about the same style as last season, same forward play though, plenty of chances not taken!! We concede one, defence is honking, we score one from a good few chances, forward line is looking good, go figure!!

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  highseastim

Listen. If you want to throw the line that you did, I would suggest that you expand on your comment. I never mentioned anything about style. You also say the defence is honking. I think you’ll find that the defence offered up few opportunities as opposed to the utter tripe that was on show last season and I would imagine the defence that played last night and probably next week will certainly not be a thing once the manager gets the bodies in that he wants in.

charlie
2 years ago

a concur again heh heh

Yoker Bhoy
2 years ago

Clear signs of improvement in both intensity and style when compared to the dross of last season. Gutted with the goal conceded where Barkas was badly at fault – not a very hard stop to make from that angle. Still in with a very good shout to go through as the Danish side are there for the taking.

Woof Charlie
2 years ago

Keeper: a tradgedy
Biton: There are orchids less brittle.
Sorro: A prospect
Turnbull: With the Ronco combvarber you could save £££££s
Christie: Too desperate to score on his last gig.
French Eddie: Where did our love go?
Ange: 18 year old subs in the money game. Did you book an open return? Bet you did.

Bgbhoy
2 years ago

Some absolute morons on here

More tactics in the first 10 mins than we’ve seen in the last 18 months under lemon.

Once he gets in own players in this could work out.

Salad queen
2 years ago
Reply to  Bgbhoy

First ten minutes I was shitting myself.

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  Salad queen

Try some tic tacs, might help with the smell.

Salad queen
2 years ago
Reply to  Bgbhoy

You have to remember that the danes were humped 7-2 by sevco qui recently

highseastim
2 years ago
Reply to  Bgbhoy

But same missed opportunities.

Frank McGaaaarvey
2 years ago

I can’t believe that somehow we aren’t taking a lead over to the 2nd leg. Some encouraging play tonight considering a few players and the manager only showed up about 5 minutes before the game. I can’t wait for Abada to get fully settled as defences will not know how to handle him.

Individual fuck-ups have cost us and we are paying the price YET AGAIN with our dithering in appointing a manager and in securing players leaving us with Bitton at CH which, as we all know, he certainly isn’t.

In saying all this we should still have more than enough to progress next week as Mijet, Midy, Midgie, erm the Danes are a pretty poor side from what I saw tonight. Guaranteeing Euro football for the season would be a huge positive this early in Ange’s reign. I’m certain there will be no old pals act from him regarding certain players and he won’t take long to weed out the rot from within. He knows he has the opportunity of a lifetime.

Monti
2 years ago

Be better off with Stevie Wonder in goal than Barkas, he moved his arms away from the ball.

Dear oh dear

portpower
2 years ago
Reply to  Monti

It was like a director`s vision of the free-kick with hand gestures.
We have a goalkeeper who is feart.

2 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Yep he’s mistra know fukkall

Monti
2 years ago

Biton out, what a joke!
Experienced player, just booked shoves a player in the face?
Knowing he is playing in a youthful line up & his team mates need him to be on top form?

Just sell the clown.

Monti
2 years ago

We need to sign a good keeper as soon as possible, Barkas is shiite it’s that simple.
Oh and a right back, two central defenders & a left back.

@totallycluelessFC

Monti
2 years ago

Who scouted Barkas?

Fkn sack him

Monti
2 years ago

Desi, did you throw your prawn sandwich at the directors box last night?

Bgbhoy
2 years ago

Nir Bitton is an experienced player, one with a flaw. He’ has been at Celtic since 2013, in his debut Champions League game against Ajax he came on as a substitute and was sent off within 11 minutes, there is the flaw. In the game against Hun-co, the team was doing great, till he got sent off, it always seems to happen in the bigger, ‘must win’ games. But, also the fault lies with Dominic McKay, as he said that he would “Suprise and Delight” the Celtic support, well, WHEN are you going to do that ‘Dom’, when? because you have failed to get the players in that we needed for the ‘big games’ and you have let both the support and the manager down. We expect it though, because we the Celtic support are “conditioned to fail”, we the Celtic support are used to the disappointment of failure, the manager isn’t, so back him quicker and “Suprise and Delight” the Celtic support, just as you promised.

Mike
2 years ago
Reply to  Bgbhoy

Great post Bg. wish I’ had said that. 😉

henkesdreadlocks
2 years ago
Reply to  Mike

That’s too clever for him. Must be a copy paste job.

Iljas baker
2 years ago

The Danes were still a work in progress when sevco beat them 7-3 on aggregate in 2019. I very much doubt that would have happened last season. Now the Danes have slipped but we’re still a work in progress ourselves so 1-1 is not bad. It could easily have been more goals from us but not from them. A lot to look forward to next week. But the glaringly obvious is Barkas, for his and our sake, needs to move on, probably back to Greece in this transfer window. Bitton back to Israel and Eduard sold to the highest bidder even if it’s for less than we once hoped. He needs to go for both our sakes. Otherwise with new signings we could win the SPFL and get some good experience in the Europa League if we don’t get through to group stage of CL.

BornCelt!
2 years ago
Reply to  Iljas baker

Agreed but to further on Barkas, who would want him unless Celtic drop his fee and pay him off. HH!

BornCelt!
2 years ago

May be of interest to some. Is accurate but needs updating as the title states. Higher wages for loanees are the total package. Celtic 2021 Wages | Player & Team totals (salarysport.com) Young Dembele on £800? No wonder he is restless! Barkas needs to be on his way now. Not his fault, if you contacted my agent waving your knickers, that is the clubs fault. Hope he earnt enough for his families future and good bye. Who on earth okayed his signing? HH!

Mike
2 years ago

So much for the “Suprise and Delight” promised by Dominic McKay. “WARNING – Celtic FC are detrimental to your mental health”. The suprise and delight have been replaced by the usual silence, so, where are the new players desperately needed by the team? Well our new centre-half is still in Russia contemplating his naval as the Ajer gap needs to be filled. Apparently you can speedily sell players but cannot speedily replace them, an old board trick – sell high and buy low (I’m sure there’s a song there somewhere) Hi Lilly, Hi-Lo. Nir Bitton has been at Celtic since 2013, so an experienced player, but a player with a big flaw, who could forget his CL debut against Ajax, as the substitute being sent off in under eleven minutes, or against Hun-co when Celtic was doing well until his rush of blood to where his brain should be located and there is the big flaw- stupidity of the brain.
Get the players in FFS the embarrassment continues as the biscuit tin is welded closely shut, so shut in fact that the same vultures are still in situ. “Suprise and Delight” a bull-sh!t production.

Monti
2 years ago

Just sign players for fuckk sake!

Woof Charlie
2 years ago

At what point does ‘not a natural defender’ become ‘not a good defender’ because that phrase has been thrown about for years now.

charlie
2 years ago

arsenal hav cancelled thur american tour efter playing immunity fc in a friendly covid apparently

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