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The Way I See It..

In response to Desi’s 11 thoughts by PensionerBhoy

 

I have been very quiet over the last week.  The reason is simple.  I have been struggling to work out how to formulate a sensible and controlled response to the most numbing few days in my many years following football.  I still have not come to terms with the consequences for all Scottish football clubs but even more so, for all Scottish football supporters – except one lot, perhaps.  I have found it difficult to expend any of the little energy I have left to commenting on what is nothing short of a major footballing disaster.  Perhaps my day will come but I am not about to hold my breath.  However, I wanted to add my bit to Desi’s very well expressed summary of the season gone and his pointers for the one to come.  The thoughts I have written down relate to Celtic alone as they are the only club currently worthy of my attention.

 

There is not much to argue about in what Desi says.  However, like some others, I have a different view on loanees.  I am not over bothered about taking players on loan and given we are, by accident or design, a “selling club”, what is there to lose by tasting first.  It can save the cost of a very expensive but badly cooked meal.  I guess if we net some duds it makes us question the whole loan system as it appears a waste of time.  However, it should be remembered that it can produce exceptional talents like Fraser Foster who can be tested in advance for a relatively low outlay.  Even if players like Fraser are few and far between, I still think loans have a certain recruitment value for the club and I would certainly not dismiss them out of hand.

 

Miku

 

Alternatively, perhaps the club should put more effort into testing youth players at a higher level.  I would certainly like to see some of the youth squad getting more of a chance even though I am not a fan of “snippety” integration (a chance now and then).  If a young player is good enough or as good as e.g. Dylan McGeouch and Tony Watt, then blood them with some decent runs in the first team.  I have always believed the old adage, “if good enough then old enough”.  I fail to understand the cotton wool scenario, a relatively modern notion, of introducing young talent so slowly that they are often capable of little else than collecting their pensions by the time they are deemed ready – a slight exaggeration which is a privilege of age.  By then it can be too late for them to actually flourish.  How much good home grown talent has slipped through to either other clubs (could it be argued that McGowan is as good as Kayal, for example?) or to oblivion because they have not been given the opportunity soon enough for progression at a higher level.  I know the club wants success for both the team and for the young players so must avoid unnecessary risks for both, but surely losing such players too soon is more than a questionable strategy.  Besides, if youngsters should eventually prove unsuitable then releasing them is a lot less costly than trying to simply get rid of big money flops.  If ever there was a good time to test the theory it is now.

 

mulgrew-watt

 

I have another bone of contention and that is Neil’s tendency to use pick and mix far too often.  Desi hinted at an aspect of this in the “Location, location, location” section of his article.  My complaint is that the same set of players rarely if ever play consecutive games and even less in the same positions.  I can not be sure off hand what the statistics are, but I doubt there have been more than 4 games in a row with the same players in the same positions.  I accept that injuries and other unforeseen circumstances can interfere with continuity but with Neil it would appear that continuity interferes with experimentation.  It is time for settlement rather than exploration.  Take off the buckskin and the moccasins Neal and put on the civvies and the spats.  If my memory serves me well, and that could be easily challenged, I always thought that blending players or moulding a team was key to success.  I fail to understand how chopping and changing and this “evil” innovation of squad rotation can help improve performance.  When I was fit enough to play and when Celtic had its great run of successes in the sixties and seventies getting to know the mates you were playing with was crucial (refer to the continued relationships of The Lions).  Today some players hardly get the chance to shake hands before a replacement is in.  Ah! so that is what the Huddle is for.

 

Celtichuddle-1

 

Speaking of injuries, as I did somewhere above, I am sure, something needs to be done about the constant number of “break downs”.  I am not speaking here of criminal damages inflicted at Murderwell or other slaughterhouses, but rather the ham strings, the niggles and the felt somethings that are daily in the post.  It appears two more fragile parcels have returned from Turin.  I only hope the physios are not on piece work or the wages bill at Parkhead will be getting dangerously close to the record breaking one at a certain SFL3 club, if all is to be believed.  Perhaps the training guru from GAA, Jim McGuinness, will bring some welcome insight into where we are “off course” on this.  The length of recovery time is somewhat worrying too.  That points to either poor rehabilitation techniques, inadequate facilities, ineffective equipment, inefficient medical staff or lots of wimps or shirkers among the fallen.  It seems ridiculous that any of these should be potential reasons given the supposedly “state of the art” set up at Lennoxtown, though there have been comments about some of the various training pitches actually contributing to the problem.  We are also told that the physio and medical staff are top drawer and that the feeding regime is first class.  So why do we have so many lingerers rather than happy bunnies keen to return to the fray?  Whatever the cause it needs investigated and remedied pretty pronto.  While the season overall has been fine given the upheavals in Scottish football over the last two years, if changes are required, this is the best period we have ever had to do so without any great unrecoverable negative impact.

 

gary-hooper-injured-versus-kilmarnock-888796838

 

I have a few concerns for next season.  It is essential we reassess the quality and contribution of our playing staff.  Like Desi says, we look to have a first team squad big enough to have taken on Rommel while Monty and the Eighth took a nap.  The problem is they would probably have lost then too.  Numbers do not necessarily deliver success.  Just ask the Persians what Gerard Butler did to them with quite a few thousand less.  Mind you, that could have had more to do with the quality of Gerard’s acting than the quality of the Persian soldiers.  But quality is what counts.  There are far too many players in the current pool and of those an excessive number are dead wood.  A clear-out should be on the cards and my concern is there will not be, especially as we appear certain to lose a fair few of our talented players.  The worry is that finding replacements will supersede the need to streamline.  For me it is essential too that Lenny cuts the umbilical cord that has attached him rather unnaturally to certain players.  He seems to have created some favourites who appear to receive preferential selection no matter their form.  On the one hand he threatens retaliation for poor performances but, on the other, continues to give certain players regular places in spite of it.  Empty threats do not become the man and do the team no favours.  I know I will be controversial here, but I am not so sure that James Forrest is not in this category.  To me, he is more a media creation, like Owen and Rooney elsewhere in the past, than an actual “exceptional player.  I watched James a lot as I followed the reserve games when they were regularly on Setanta and I was not as impressed as the commentators or the football pundits.  I saw then and still see now a player with pretty good skill who, unfortunately, can “go missing” quite often and that is of no benefit to a mediocre team that relies more on effort than ability.  That is the team we are, one to be proud of but still a mediocre one for all that.  In mitigation and for the sake of balance, I am old; I am “blind” and I have seen some true Paradise “greats” in my day.

 

James+Forrest-jesus

 

 

Another worry is that we fans, because of the terrific current season, will have expectations that are beyond the present team.  We must see what was achieved in Europe this season as the exception and not the norm, at least for a few years yet.  Achievements are and will be limited by the very environment in which Celtic operates.  Until that changes whether within or without, success at the highest level will remain a dream.  That is not to say we did not deserve any of it this season and, in my opinion, on another two days we could have taken Juventus and gone further.  I believe the defeats were not so much by a far superior team, (better than Barca?), but more the result of a relatively poor team selection and weak tactics, combined with a drop in individual performances and, above all, inexplicable refereeing decisions in the first leg.  I will never be convinced we lacked the potential.  Lenny’s talk of class difference is for me reminiscent of the British attitude towards European teams going back a few decades.  Then Europeans were regarded as invincible till a certain Mr. Stein proved the concept to be totally false and the result of a lack of confidence rather than the inability to win.  On our day we could and would have beaten Juventus in both games.  The problem is it is only for the moment “on our day” that, I believe, we will succeed in European competitions.  The same could be said of our domestic performances too, though we are much more often “on our day” in these.  Unfortunately, we are not consistently so.  If you doubt me, just look at some of our league and cup performances against normally easily beatable opposition.  So, I am saying that the fans may need to get used to “on our day” performances for that is the kind of team we have.  That does not mean we can not have another roller-coaster.  After all, The Lions won “on their day” in 1967, if you know what I mean.  This coming season, even if we should fail to reach the knock out stages in the CL, we should still enjoy the ride because there is nothing like it no matter how short lived.  We had an extended trip this year that was as enjoyable as it was unexpected.  We should be happy with the same next year but still be ready to enjoy even a short adventure should it turn out as such.  Above all we can hold our heads high for having done the club and Scottish football proud given our original “no hopers” status.

 

Messi, Xavi and Iniesta with Celtic tops at CP Nov 2012

 

Finally, we Celtic fans have something that no club can surpass and something that should be the greatest prize of all.  WE ARE THE GREATEST.  Everywhere we go, even into the troubled dens of the Juve “bad boys”, we win the hearts, minds, admiration and gratitude of all.  I know it can seem monotonous, but who can not feel the tug on the heart strings reading the comments in the Italian and in other press, the MSM excepted of course, about the Celtic support in Turin.  We may not see the big cup glistening in the trophy cabinet for quite some time but our unique behaviour and generosity of spirit will shine brightly in the eyes, not only of football fans, but of people the length and breadth of the continent and beyond.  Give us the same next season and the we will joyously and proudly accept our fate.

 

H H

Pensionerbhoy

rowley_1024

 

What’s  your thoughts?  Stick them in the Comments section below or mail an article to etims.contact@googlemail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Andrew milne
11 years ago

Brave and thought provoking article. Lenny favourites agree, injuries agree, James f jury out.

Wonky
11 years ago

A lot of great points. One thing I don’t get is this Kayal bashing you get amongst a lot of the fans- sure enough he was slow to comeback to form after the binman tackle- but I think he has been getting back to his best. Easily our best player on saturday. How can you compare McGowan with Kayal- they are completely different players playing in different positions. If we sold Kayal at the end of the season, particularly if he keeps up his form, then we could get maybe 5m from a premiership club- what will St Mirren get for McGowan.
The Kayal bashing is reminiscent of the Izzy bashing after he was slow to come back to form after his bad injury- how do people forget how well these guys performed before?

Pensionerbhoy
11 years ago
Reply to  Wonky

Wonky

I accept your point. With my limited writing skills I seem to have failed to express what I wanted to say regarding Beram. It was not to put him down in any way. The guy gives his all most of the time even though he can be a bit a of a headless chicken. I would rather have that than some of the “take a fag break” players of the last few weeks or so. No, what I was trying to say was that we are quick to replace potential at youth level with what I see as “no better” bought players. I was only using McGowan/Kyal as what I see as an example of this questionable policy. I hope that clarifies my “bashing”.

H H

Scottybhoy74
11 years ago

Nicely written piece and I agree with almost all your comments, I to fail to see the hype surrounding Forrest, for me he is almost of the Paddy McCourt mould…..ie one good game every ten, McGeady and Maloney both made better impacts than Forrest, the league is ours start giving youth a chance now, and send some of the others on holiday to let them think long and hard about where they want to be playing football next year.

gordonzola
11 years ago

i fear that lennon is trying to renege on the business plan and hang onto the most sellable players until the last minute.

in the hope of reaching group stages.

celtic are starting to look inward again including the commentators on this site.

we should be studying porto, and swansea.

sell the top four players now and start the rebuilding process.

stein stood still , o’neil stood still.

11 years ago

THATS AS ACCURATE AN ARTICLE OF OUR CURRENT TEAM AND PERFORMANCES AS IV READ IN A WHILE, IV POSTED ON SEVERAL CELTIC SITES SIMILAR YET ALOT SHORTER PIECES, THE JAMES FORREST PART I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, CHARLIE MULGREW HAS BECOME A SHADOW OF THE PLAYER HE WAS, TO ME THE INCONSISTENT PERFORMANCES COME FROM INCONSISTENT TEAM SELECTION, A SETTLED 7/8 PLAYERS EVERY WEEK WITH INJURY EXCEPTION, THE BACK BONE SHOULD ALWAYS STAY THE SAME AND USE CERTAIN PLAYERS AND TATICS DEPENDING ON OPPONENTS, I FEEL LENNY IS LOSING THE CHANGING ROOM SLIGHTLY BECAUSE OF THE FAVOURITISM SOMETIMES, CMON LENNY WE KNOW YOUR MORE THAN CAPABLE OF ALOT BETTER FROM THIS SQUAD, PROVE THE DOUBTERS WRONG. HAIL HAIL, GOD BLESS THE CELTIC+

Pensionerbhoy
11 years ago

Thanks for all the comments. I honestly thought I would be taken for a nutty auld ranter. No remarks, please. I receive enough from my family for not having a clue about football, but this shows that honesty does pay. Now for Ralph’s diary 🙂

H H

11 years ago

Great article agree with almost everything, I must say lennie should stick with a settled team of seven or eight and rotate around them. As far as youth is concerned I also feel the should be blooded into the team slowly and sparingly as a prolonged run under pressure can burn them out early and destroy confidence.
I also must make a comment on Gordonzola,s point Stein stood still for 9 years the most successful 9 years of our history.
Here is hoping for a double this year and a successful replacement of the top players we lose in the close season
Hail hail , keep the faith

darren russell
11 years ago

Good article pb, we are a bit too much jekyll and hyde for my liking. Neil is doing a great job but there is undoubtedly still room for improvement with this team, kayal for me is now a shadow of the player I thought he was going to be. Hooper has dipped over last cpl of months but I think it is worth holding on to him now until after the cl qualifiers are over. I think at times the other teams deserve credit for good performances rather than us giving the team constant grief. Our big failing over the last 20 years is producing players who can make that final leap from under 20’s to first team football. Club is trying to address that with lennoxtown, links to high performing schools, specialist coaches etc we have to give them the chance to make this work. There is going to be a huge realigment of power once the epl bubble bursts and players down there don’t have opportunity to earn as much also, our future still looks bright.

Iljas Baker
11 years ago

Agree with most of what pensionerbhoy said. We are a mediocre team and effort and motivation count for an awful lot. When are missing the mediocrtiy shows in spades.

Regarding injuries, definitely we need to get that sorted out. It’s inexplicable. Have McGeady and Maloney had as many injuries after they left Celtic? Can anyone answer this please?

Guiseppe
11 years ago

A great article and well worth the read !
One point I would like to add is that I believe that too much store is being given to what I have seen described as The Park Model and how this is the way ahead.
I am sure that John Park does an excellent job in finding new young talent for Celts but I am led to believe that he had nothing to do with ” finding ” Victor Wanyama, the best young talent to arrive at Paradise in years !
I understand that his agent first offered him to the club formerly known as Rangers for the bargain sum of one million euros and it was only their inability to come up with this amount that led to him then being offered to Celts. Fortunately, for once we didn’t hang about and signed him.
The point I make is this, if I am correct in how his signing came about, why had our much vaunted scouting system not picked him up on its radar ?

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