Celtic Diary Friday January 25

Anyone still worried that big Victor Wanyama could be away in the next week or so should take comfort from the picture above. The Celtic Charity Group were in Kenya, and took time out toto visit the midfielders family and spread the word around about the club. It seems to have gone down very well, and as a Man Utd website described it-a timely piece of work which means Wanyama won’t be coming to Old Trafford any time soon. Paraphrasing, but you get the point.

Mo Bangura, the striker many thought could be on the verge of breaking in to the first team, sorry, not many thought could be on the verge of breaking into the first team, is off on loan again. Elfsborg, the Swedish side, have stepped in to snap up the forward, and thankfully they are not in the champions league, so he won’t come back to haunt us. although he probably still haunts whoever suggested buying him in the first place.

Neil Lennon tweeted yesterday that he had given everyone the day off and he was happy to have “the place to himself”. This prompted a rush of rumours that everyone had left and the under 20s would face St. Mirren on Sunday. Gary hooper, according to some stories , went down to visit his girlfriend in Essex, and from there it was a short leap to signing for Tottenham. We think he’s back in training today, but if he doesn’t see much of his missus normally, then he might be a little tired and pale.

Thisis football asked the question of whether Tottenham should pursue the ten million pound rated forward, and asked for comments. It might help if we as Celtic fans mention his unreliability, poor work rate, excessive drinking and gambling and anti semitism. To help them make an informed decision. Of course , none of that is true, but it might put them off.

Pat Nevin, who desperately wants to be seen as the intelligent pundit, which is why he keeps twirling his pen on screen, has called for ballboys to be banned after a Chelsea player kicked a stricken lad who didn’t want to give the ball back during an English game last week. The brutal assault by the full time professional athlete on the young lad was excused by Nevin, who said he would have kicked him as well. Except , of course, the ballboy would have got up and battered him. The Chelsea player, Eden Hazard, will face a ban, and possibly assault charges for his action, but as he didn’t sing any IRA songs, Nevin thinks he should be let off.

Anyway, the League Cup semi final is almost upon us. Sunday, 2,30, live on BBC 1 Scotland. The show will no doubt include a feature presentation on the new Sevco club, as the BBC are reeling from a lack of Sevco games to cover this season.

The freshness of Scottish football this season has allowed teams a shot at cup finals, European places and silverware that they haven’t previously had, and by no means can Celtic count themselves in for an easy ride. The players will have to take the game seriously, as St.Mirren certainly will, and the game promises to be a cracker.

One duff performance, or a couple of daft mistakes, and thats the quadruple gone. Winning the Champions League may be one thing, but four trophies is better than three. How annoying would it be to win the League, the Scottish Cup and to triumph in London in May, and have that wee blotch on a perfect season…

Ach, if you don’t have a dream, then it won’t come true.

Speaking of dreamers, Chuckles Green has continued his policy of talking shite lest the nation forgets his club actually exists. He has admitted that Sevco won’t make a profit this season, which were his words. He didn’t call it a loss, like anyone else would, and in fact mentioned that the 9000 season book holders who didn’t take up the tuppenny ha’penny books this year was a “positive”

After promising stadium expansion “if needed” and casinos, helipads and luxury hotels (actually, that might have been the last idiot in charge over there, or the one before him. I get mixed up.) he rode off in a blaze of glory and to the cheers of the supporters ringing in his ears.

Well, not really. The Sevco fans are starting to ignore him, those featured on TV and writing on websites are beginning to tire of him, and pay less attention to his nonsense.

A new world record seems to be looming on the horizon for the new club, that of the shortest ever existence for a club in Scotland. Although, to be fair, they can have a realistic shot at breaking it again with their next incarnation.

The Etims crew-or some of them-recorded another podcast last night, and afterwards, thoughts turned to one of the points made. Even if Celtic do sell wanyama or hooper for a great profit, what do they do with the money?

Any investment in big name highly paid mercenaries would break the spirit at the team, theres enough in the bank from champions League participation to ensure the team are financially well provided for, so where would the money go?

Cheaper season books? Better and cheaper food? Free entry for kids? A cafe behind the Lisbon Lions stand?

Its okay to do good business, but it shouldn’t be the driving force ahead of results on the pitch. It certainly should be a priority to improve the match day experience.

The podcast is up on the site , and on i-tunes, so if you haven’t got anything better to do, such as wash your hair or mow the dog, have a listen.

Elsewhere, you have to ask yourself just how annoying and irritating Joey Barton really is. He’s been in France for just six months and it looks like half the country is emigrating to Newcastle.

San Miguel was the closest to the correct answer on yesterdays Paul McStay question.

The two seasons, 82-3 and 87-8 were the only two where he started every league game.

If you think that was obscure, try this one. although we should all know this, I only discovered it today.

Who is the only Celt to have been capped for three different countries, and which ones were they?