Celtic Diary Wednesday August 14

Scott Brown will captain Scotland against England tonight in London, giving us all an hour and a half on the edge of our seats wondering when he’ll get injured.

In days gone by, both countries used to enjoy the annual end of season tussle to secure the bragging rights for the following twelve months, supporters would enjoy the sojourn to London, and even those staying at home could watch the game live-still pretty much a rarity in those days.

These days, with the English league having lost its identity, and the English team its ability, the game is just another friendly designed to allow FIFa to pretend that the national game is as important as those controlled by the  corporate  monster that is UEFA.

Whilst we all want to beat the English, its kind of lost its appeal these days, and all we want is for Celtics players to come back uninjured.

The under 21s played in Sheffield last night , with the auld enemy running out 6-0 winners. A colleague down here in the south pointed out that he thought the English under 21s were better than the senior team. Worryingly, the Scottish under 21s are also better than their senior counterparts.

Brown , though , is proud-quite rightly-to be leading his country, and faced a few journalists yesterday, all of whom were desperate to make the game sound interesting.

When asked if he felt people in the south belittled the Scottish game-a bit like being asked if he thought he would get wet if it rained- Brown replied ;

“Could you name a couple of Kilmarnock players? No? Proves my point. ”

Thankfully, there were no Scottish journalists present to take up the challenge either. Most of them couldn’t tell you what day it was. Brown continued, trying manfully to rally the troops.

“I know we are a small country and not as big as England, but I think we can give as good as we get on our day. We seem to thrive on big occasions sometimes.

“Nothing here will overwhelm me, that’s for sure. We’ve been in big Champions League games with Celtic and given as good as we got, so what is there to fear? ”

I don’t think they pay too much attention to Scottish football down here. They’ll probably know Rangers and Celtic, but that’s it – whereas we know everyone in their league.

“The lads did brilliantly in Croatia last time out and that result gave everyone a lift.

“We’ve got together here and had two really good days in training, getting more of the manager’s ideas.

“We’re learning more about his thoughts on defence and attack, it’s been high-tempo and we’re in a top mood.

Every team  has vulnerabilities. It’s whether we can find them out and play through England in that way.”

Again, I think we’ll all just be happy if all our players get back tomorrow and no-one is injured. Brown has got a few Celtic fans upset with supposed comments about leading Scotland out against England a being bigger than leading his club out in the last 16 of the champions league, but frankly, who gives a toss ?

With Peter Lawwell allegedly out doing a bit of shopping in Iceland-before heading to Tescos- the Daily Record has decided its time to sell Fraser Forster. He’s been linked with Benfica, in what would be a an historic move for a Portuguese club, where they would buy someone they didn’t need for a price way beyond what they have ever paid.

Portuguese clubs tend to buy low , usually from Brazil or Mozambique, and sell high. The very model that Celtic are attempting to copy. Craig Swan, from the Record, offers no quotes for his story, no sources, but does have a statement from Alfred Finnbogasson, who says ;

“There are offers but the club haven’t told me they’ve been accepted.”

More in depth reporting from the Record  there.

David Longmuir doesn’t have a lot to look forward to these days. Beaten by the multi talented Neil Doncaster to the post of SPFL chief-largely due to Doncasters ability to secure , amongst other things, a sponsor for the rebranded set up-he is rumoured to be in the running for the position of Commercial Director at Second Rangers.

Presumably on a temporary contract, the former SFL chief , not only surrounded by fans of the new club at home, will be surrounded by them at work as well.

However, Ibrox CEO Craig Mather appears to be unaware of the appointment, showing the competence of previous CEOs at the struggling club;

Thats the latest from Charlotte Fakeovers, who has been quiet for a bit. Well, with Charles Green back on the scene, theres no real need to interrupt the enemy while they make mistakes, to quote the trouble making French short arse Napoleon Bonaparte.

Now, according to another release back in July from CF, mediahouse, an agency which is/was responsible for media management on behalf of First, Second and Third Rangers-when they come about- had a meeting on the 16 May 2011 to define pro-IRA songs

mediahouse2

Soon after, at the Scottish Cup final, the esteemed Pat Nevin and his colleague Rob MacLean commented that they had heard sectarian singing at half time-which then led to the infamous conversation where the dynamic duo condemned the support and at no time gave the impression that it was all pre planned.

Anyhoo, singlecell, one of our readers, sent us this, which was a reply to his complaint about the possibility of the BBC being influenced by Mediahouse  in its identification of sectarian singing etc.