Menu Close

Celtic Diary Thursday April 30: Ronny Confirms The Rosenborg Plan

Some time ago, the diary mentioned that Ronny Deila may well be trying to emulate the incredible thirteen in a row feat that was achieved in his homeland by Rosenborg, which saw them dominate Norwegian football and repeatedly compete in the Champions League.

It looks like this thought may have occurred to him;

 “You can say that Celtic should win every game they play but it isn’t like that.

“It has often been proved around the world that big clubs don’t do well. Rosenborg won 13 league titles in a row but are no longer the team they used to be – when the coach, Nils Arne Eggen, quit then they lost all their money.” 

Nothing is forever, thats true, but can Celtic do 13 in a row ?

 “Everything is achievable. So that is the dream, to keep on winning, winning, winning. And to go to the Champions League and make Scottish people proud of Celtic.

“It was hard for the other clubs because Rosenborg were so consistent. But we were also very proud of them because they were in the Champions League for something like ten or eleven years in a row. That was a big, big achievement.

“The manager Nils Arne Eggen always said it wasn’t about money. It was about getting the best out of your players and finding consistency in your work. He was an unbelievable coach. And someone I look up to you.  

“If we win the rest of our games then we will have more than 90 points, which is a good performance for our first year together. I want improvement but the other can better as well.  

He was gracious enough to offer aberdeen praise for the way they have hung on in there, and again, it’s worth noting that had they taken points from Celtic, it would have been even closer. Their consistency against the other sides meant, in the end, that the games against aberdeen were the title clinchers, although it may not have seemed that way at the time.

 It’s kind of fitting that it loks like a win at Pittodrie will be the game that secures four in a row.

On Aberdeen, Deila said;

“It’s also important to say that Aberdeen have been great this season – they have won consistently, too. If Aberdeen gets better, we get better and the other teams get better, then the league gets better. Maybe then we won’t get more points but we will have better football matches.” 

 Which is what we all hoped would happen when old Rangers bought the farm, despite the warnings from those who really should have known better.

Ronny has also been shortlisted for the Manager of the Year award, along with Derek MacInnes ( Aberdeen ), John Hughes ( Inverness ) and Robbie Neilsen ( Hearts ).

 There’s no place for Ally McCoist on the list, despite his gargantuan efforts against the odds to secure a play off place in the first division with a highly paid and motivated squad, and he has demanded to know the names of those on the selection panel. Imagine his disappointment when he found it was selected by fellow managers…he never stood a chance. Jim Jefferies , Jimmy Calderwood  and Derek johnstone are not involved in management.

Which might actually be a contributory factor in the rise of the game.

 You could make a case for any of the four on the list, each has done very well this season, and it’s difficult to pick a winner.

 Ronny is happy to be on the list;

 “It is a big honour. It is a statement that we have done something well and, for me, it is important to share these things with my team, my staff and the players. We have done well this year and we just have to finish it off, that’s the main thing. Of course I am happy to be nominated.

“It is recognition. It is important for me to include my staff because we have worked very closely together and I am very into working as a team.

“We have done that all season. I get the good things when it is going good, but I also get the bad things when it is going bad. We have done something positive and we get the recognition for that.” 

 He himself voted for Hughes, MacInnes and Jackie MacNamara, and with the inclusion of the latter,proved he does have a sense of humour.

The Dundee Courier has , on the strength of a source at Tannadice, announced that no more dundee United players will be sold to Celtic, no matter what the size of the bid is.

 In what seems like a direct message to Celtic , the Courier claimed;

When it comes to the football business it is usually a case of never say never but any future approaches from the Hoops will not even be considered.

United have concluded that enough is enough and Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell would be wasting his time if he were to pick up the phone to call Tannadice to ask about Ciftci, Souttar or anyone else for that matter.  

Deilas response indicated he didn’t really care;

“It is up to them.

“I think they know what price they want for the players and they have to think if they need money or not. But I don’t think too much about that.”

 Some time ago we highlighted the competition , held on a dialy basis, by the Daily Record to find an up and coming sports journalist.

Known as the hotline, it threw up another couple of strong contenders yesterday.

 With Dave King waiting to hear if he’s a fit and proper person to run a football club-if you check article 10 of the rules, he only has to actually tell them he thinks he is-a couple of voices emerged from the throng;

 “I strongly believe King would be good for Rangers. I know he had tax convictions in South Africa but a lot of businessmen have had these issues. The SFA must pass him as fit and proper.

“The bottom line is he’s a fan who wants the best for his club. Surely that’s what matters?” 

 Yes, a lot of businessmen do have these issues.

And then they go to jail.

Or pay millions to stay out.

Like King did.

North Guateng high Court may not be called on to offer their opinion, though the SFa could do worse than ask for their thoughts.

Oh, look, courtesy of Barcabhoy, here they are…

Embedded image permalink Embedded image permalink

Another offered advice for Peter Lawwell;

 “As a Rangers fan, I think it is in Peter Lawwell’s interests to find Dave King a fit and proper person .

It was Lawwell who said since Rangers were demoted that Celtic were losing millions every year. Just look at Celtic’s attendances in the last three years – that should prove the point.”  

Again from Barcabhoy, that table makes interesting reading.

As for attendances, the 2000-10 seasons were a high point, not the norm.

 

Both those guys are probably already in Jacksons office being interviewed….

To be fair to the clubs involved in the first Division play offs, they have said that season book holders will be allowed in free. a great move, and the League, who claim half of all gate receipts under one of their rules, are a little miffed.

Not as miffed as Second Rangers book holders when someone at Ibrox comes up with the idea of a £25 administration fee…

 

The picture yesterday was from Love Street, back in 1986. Celtic won the league that day quite dramatically, after a 5-0 win over St. Mirren. It helped that Hearts imploded that day as well. Strange how one of our best memories of winning the league came from competition-very stiff competition-from outside Glasgow. At a time when Aberdeen and Dundee Utd were riding high in Europe…

 One memory of that season came when Celtic visited Ibrox. My financial situation at the time meant i was ofetn restricted to poor quality Radio Scotland, or watching the results on the BBC videoprinter.

 Rangers 4,

cue swearing…

Celtic 4

 cue a litttle round of applause, and a binge that lasted until monday morning. I was in town in the bar by five thirty, when it opened.

Thats when I realised we could win the league.

Here’s a picture I’m hoping someone can explain.

I can’t.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
22 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Charlie Saiz
8 years ago

Keith Lemon CSC at the Annual Pillow Fighting Championships in Huddersfield?

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago

Sorry it’s the Bobo Baldes Cock Fighting Championships in Troon.

jim
8 years ago

harry brattbakk popping some champers with his rosenburg teammates….before arriving in Glasgow and forgetting to bring his shooting boots…..no matter he helped stopped the ten…..legend.

Hugh67
8 years ago

Why is the guy on the right ramming his hand up the poor chaps arse?

Cue Keith Harris /Orville jokes! Or not.

Gareth Savage
8 years ago

Without wishing to sound like a moaning git (I am though) the Rosenberg model is all well and good for a Norwegian minnow. While the SPFHell is a financially poor league we are Celtic, we should be hoping to build something to win the bloody thing, not just qualify. It may seem fanciful but if we don’t have dreams and songs to sing, what do we have?

elcormaco
8 years ago

It looks like the guy from the BBC movie “Marvellous” that was on TV last year (and really was marvellous), where Toby Jones played a Stoke City fanatic with learning difficulties who ended up being club kit man while Lou Macari was manager (reports that it is based closely on Ralph are yet to be confirmed).

The guy operating him from below is the technician in charge of the big screens in Manchester for the UEFA cup final, seen here fiddling with some buttons.

I have to grudgingly admit the new 2nd Rangers board have done the decent thing in allowing season book holders in for the big play off party / wake at Ayebrokes, and they managed to release a statement that for once wasn’t full of moonbeams and about as believable as the E tims rumour mill.

No doubt its part of a longer game of “gie us yir money (again)” but it suggests they aren’t quite as desperate for cash as they’ve been over the past three years.

Those quotes wrt King rally are dynamite, I read them myself again recently – extremely arrogant, believes whatever he says is so – you can see why interacting with the Scottish Press appeals, really the kind of guy you d not want any where near your club, unless of course he’s a “pyoor rangers man” with “millions” to invest (by “invest” they mean throw on a big burning fire).

His uber Rangersness of course means he is the messiah incarnate and should immediately be made chairman of 2nd Rangers, the SFA, the SNP, all Scottish parties, the Church of Scotland and chief Rabbi and Imam of Scotland, head of Bank OF Scotland, Royal bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and any other offices he chooses for himself.

All hail the glib and shameless one.

Devoy45
8 years ago

First the Treble, now 13 in a row! Too much talking Ronnie. Keep that stuff to yourself and in the dressing room. Arrogance and triumphalism don’t suit our club or its support. Some dreams should be unspoken until they happen.I think we will win on Friday and Aberdeen will draw on Saturday. That gives us the title: 10 points ahead with only 9 points left. I will be happy with 4 in a row for now. It has been a very long season with the usual roller-coaster affect.

Gordon
Matthews/Van Dijk/Denayer/Izzy
Brown/Bitton
Mackay-Steven/Johansen/Armstrong
Griffiths

Give Commons and Forrest a rest.
The bhoys 3-0.

Phaco
8 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

Spot on sir. Keep the gobs shut and try our very best. Hh

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Devoy45

I have no issue with Ronny stating what could be he’s only being honest about the targets and standards he has set them.
Triumphalism only comes after the event and at no point has he stated anything is being taken for granted.

Bhoyracer
8 years ago

I remember the 4-4 game well. Rain pissing down, go from 2-0 and 3-1 up to 3-4 down with all the elation and desolation that entails, Willie McStay sent off, Tommy Burns scoring a minute after half-time and my pie getting launched, Murdo’s screamer to make it 4-4, heart attack afterwards with all the excitement..

8 years ago

I remember the 4v4 game…..went out the night before in Wick with the plan to catch the supporters bus leaving from Thurso in Wick as it was planned to arrive in Wick just after I would have got out of the club around 3am. Gave my bag to a pal who was getting on the bus in Thurso and was ready for the plan to fall into place…….woke up at midday on Saturday back in my bed in Thurso….had gotten so pished I’d forgotten about the plan and just got a Taxi home…..don’t remember any of it….. Ach well I consoled myself over a recovery pint…..it’ll probably be a shite game….

deadhead67
8 years ago

The idea that Ronnie will be here next season make me puke another 12 yrs hope im dead soon if that,s the case

Hugh67
8 years ago

Dear Mr Ralph.

No Orville jokes?

You are the only other person I know with bad taste.

How about ‘ Orville left speechless at the news of Keith Harris’s death’

8 years ago
Reply to  Hugh67

I wish I could Die

You can…you can!!

Devoy45
8 years ago

Deadhead, you make me smile sometimes. Cheers!

George lazenby
8 years ago

In the year 2310 we’re going to make 970 mill profit. Feck me how much will a half time pie cost.

charlie
8 years ago

so now morons saay you cant abuse morons only in bigotland @uck em

charlie
8 years ago

COYBIG

charlie
8 years ago

WE DONT NEED TO TELL EM A HUNS A HUN AND THEY KNOW IT THEY ARE PITYFUL

salad queen
8 years ago

Is it Billy Bremner/Franny Lee having a go at Sandy Jardine?

Iain
8 years ago

Is it Dave Cattenach and Bobby Lennox against Sandy Jardine for some charity event at half time?

Follow us on Twitter @ETimsNet