The physiotherapy wasn’t as bad as I feared yesterday. The lass who attended to me was young and pretty, and actually told me what was wrong with me. My leg, that is, and if only I’d been paying attention, i would have known.
It was hard to concentrate as she manipulated the muscles in my back , my bottom and my legs, but I’ve to go again in two weeks time, so i’ll take a pen and paper with me and get her to write it down.
Now, see if a lass working for the NHs can virtually cure me with just a smile and a good rub down, how come , with all these sports scientists at Lennoxtown, we still get so many players injured ?
One is tempted to think there’s a lot of lollygagging going on.
We even had a player out for months after he tied his bootlaces too tight.
Well, the treatment room must be full, and thats led to John Collins admitting that some players could leave in the summer as you just can’t move around the place anymore for footballers.
“Come the end of the season there will be players who will move out,”
“But at this moment in time it is a big squad, everyone is fighting to be in the squad and that’s a good problem to have for the manager, myself and the coaching team.
“It is always the challenge. Better having too many good players than not enough.
“You can’t keep them completely happy. I would be telling a lie, everybody would be telling a lie if they think everybody is happy at a football club.
“You have 11 starters who are very happy, the substitutes who are a little bit unhappy, and you have ones who are sitting in the stand who aren’t happy.
“That is the same the world over, every club in the world.
“It is difficult for players when you are not playing, we understand that.
“They are human beings as well as footballers but you have to make sure that they take that disappointment in the right way and stay focused.
“The most important thing is that the players realise that to get into the team they have to train well, stay focused and remain positive.”
I’m not sure he does understand. The Celtic team he played in wasn’t so difficult to break into, and he did it fairly easily. But then again, in those days any player with his own boots and shin pads was pretty much guaranteed a start.
To say players will leave in the summer is really stating the obvious, and we may finally see the last remnants of the old guard sent south to secure the funds for their dotage.
And its important we start planning for this now, and thats why Scott Allan, Ryan Christie and Patrick Roberts should be given as much game time together as possible. If they aren’t all playing tomorrow then my stay in the ground will be very limited.
Alright, its not going to happen, but at the very least one or two of them should be given some time on the park, even if its from the bench.
Roberts especially looks the part, and Allan and Christie should be given a chance to see what they can do together. Stick Stuart Armstrong and Tom rogic in the holding places, with the Griff on the sniff up front, and we might just see some entertainment.
The defence has been coming on in leaps and bounds -it admittedly started from a fairly low rung on the ladder, and with the big Dane Sviatchenko proving he’s not a bad player after all, lets see if he and Boyata can form the main defensive partnership. They will have a few weeks to settle, at least until its time for Simunovics next in-between injuries cameo, and the signs are promising so far.
Although to be honest, any time that two centre halfs have done more than three quarters of an hour tigether this season, they’ve been hailed as the new McNeill and Clark.
Add Lustig bombing forward on the right, and Tierney doing likewise on the left, though not, obviously , at the same time, and we might just been in for a feast of fast flowing football.
Or we could just filed Brown, Biton and Bloody Johansen again and spend the afternoon whinging about a lack of pace, commitment and , well, anything lese we can think of.
Thats maybe a little unfair on Brown and Johansen, who are at least trying to inject a bit of enthusiasm, and even when it goes wrong, they don’t hide, something that has been completely ignored , certainly where Johansen is concerned, but the pirouetting Biton needs a rest. He needs to be in tip top condition for the summer sales.
Anyway, as with all trips to the game, i’m looking forward to the trip.
It’s always good to spend time in good company, especially on long journeys, whiling away the hours with civilised conversation and good humour.
This time , though, the train was fully booked and I’m in the tarrier carrier with the rest of them. ( That’ll show me how many of the bastards actually do read this. It’ll probably be in direct proportion to the amount of bruises I’ve got when I get home tomorrow night. )
The controversy over flares has, er, flared up again with Celtic being fined yet again after supporters decided to light up the night sky at the recent Fenerbache game.
Davie Hay, writing in the Evening Times, has a solution..
Celtic have racked up another fine from UEFA yesterday following the release of a flare in their Europa League game against Fenerbahce. What can the club do to eliminate this problem?
The club are doing everything they can to identify people who are using flares and there has to be a realisation that they are badly damaging the reputation of the club. My own view is a bit of an old-fashioned one; they really could do with a good kick up the backside. They are dragging the club’s name through the gutter and there is a real danger that the sanctions could get even more severe than a simple financial penalty. It is gross stupidity and if they have a strong affiliation with the club then they will accept the damage they are doing to it.
The Times is the only place I saw this news, and it may well be old news, but its still worth mentioning because Hay is right. Its not like the old days when you could be a wee bit naughty and then disappear up a side street.
These days the bastards film you and come and get you when you’re sleeping.
Now, I’m not defending those who engage in reckless or violent acts, and no-one should. hay is right, though, its a good kick up the arse they need. Followed by a good rub down with sandpaper.
The BBC has reported on some more arrests after a game…for sectarian singing…
Five football fans have been arrested in connection with anti-social behaviour during Celtic’s Scottish Cup win over Stranraer.
It follows a police investigation into complaints of sectarian singing at the match at Stair Park on 10 January.
The probe also focused on flares, smoke bombs and fire crackers set off and thrown on to the pitch.
The five are due to appear at Stranraer Sheriff Court “in due course”, police said.
A further four people were arrested for football-related and public order offences on the day of the match.
Match commander Supt Steven Lowther said the behaviour of a minority on match day was “unacceptable”.
He said: “What was supposed to be an enjoyable event for all was tarnished by a group of individuals who were intent on singing sectarian songs as well as letting off smoke bombs and pyrotechnics within the crowd.
“It is evident that those involved had no concerns for either the safety of others or how their behaviour spoiled what should otherwise have been an event where the post-match discussion should have centred on football and not their antics.”
The trick to avoid arrest for sectarian singing at games is presumably to get everyone doing it….
Works for some clubs.
Meanwhile, a letter to the Telegraph has outleined more concerns at the way the economy is going under the present government..
This is why its important to force Celtic to pay a living wage to employees. All employees.
No more excuses. no more claims that its the subcontracters that are doing it.
Society and media are constantly pushing this idea that paying people enough money to live reasonably comfortably on is somehow wrong, and under no circumstance should celtic FC go along with this line of thinking.
These days we don’t seem to have as much to be proud of as we used to. Time to start changing that.
It’s 2016, and the Easter rising was a hundred years ago, but somehow you feel that there is still a bit of work to be done in helping the people of the england and Ireland come together in peace and tranquility as the 21st century grows older…
Time for a caption competition, and we move back to the world of sports science…
By the way, Rebus, Cecil, and Uralias…check your emails.
Ralph – We only have Simunovic out injured in the first-team at present. Janko is back to full training. Pretty sure Derk is fit but has been told to make himself scarce.
Trying to get an insight into injuries by merely looking at the number of players undergoing treatment is a bit like predicting the weather by throwing some chicken bones into a circle drawn in the dirt and seeing where they land.
Thought that was our signing policy ?
They’ve moved on now. John Park swallows bat blood while wearing a tribal mask and spits it onto a map of Scandinavia. Wherever the largest drop of blood lands we send scouts and then buy their best midfielder and whichever striker has the fewest goals.
Ahem injured striker.
COMMON RALPHY BABY IS IT NO TIME FOR A CHANGE YET,
GET THE FINGER OOT MAN.
Janko isn’t back in full training, he is doing running only at the moment.
He is still a bit off starting a football match.
Collins confirmed yesterday he starts full training today.
Pedant.
hes been doing light running for a few days
under ronny’s rules he will need to be training for a full week before he gets the chance of the squad
i would imagine a few games in the unders squad until hes ready
Plum,
” pedant “? For informing you Janko hasn’t started full training?
Bit disappointing that.
Hey ho.
I wonder if I can phone in sick today then cos I’m still a bit off starting a football match as well
Give it a try…..
will you be partcipating in any refreshments after the game in or around town ralph?
If i can fit any more in. hic…
I can exclusively reveal,from my impeccable source, that our next signing is John McGinn.
Add another youngster then to the pool..who might also have to wait his turn.
It’s going to be interesting to see where we’re going with all these mid-fielders…and with the “young player” policy.
Hope someone knows what they’re doing.
MikeB,I hope your impeccable source is right,i have no doubt that the grandson of a past CELTIC chairman,would give his all for the Tims,have been shouting for his joining the club,like his agent for the past 18months.He looks like a younger version of Broony.btw I thought we would pick up Soapy Souter from D.Utd but the signing of Aijer must have knocked that back.Going by J.C.remarks about players leaving come seasons end,i hope that they leave some experianced pros for the C.L Qualifiers.
I’m told that Souter was watched often and closely…but Aijer was deemed to be the better prospect.
As for “experienced pros” for the CL…
The ones we have hivnae done us much good Mike…
And I’m a great believer in..
“If you’re good enough…then you’re good enough.”
I’d rather the young guns got their chance to bring a freshness to our style of play..
Why no ?
No arguements from me Mikeb on that.
That’s right let,s go down the SPL way,pos the worst in quality terms league around,”hell in a hand cart”methinks.
Scottish Football produced the Lions,the Quality street kids,Kenny Dalgliesh et. al.I know that the Quality is not World Class at the moment but we are where we are,the Development Squad has some good Scottish talent and the Premiership still has the best of our talent as well.We still produce good midfield talent at present and my own opinion is that i would rather see home grown Scottish mids.bearing doon with smoke blowin oot there erchies than PrimaDonna foreingers piroetting about the park.
Good mid-field talent mike>_?? haven,t seen anything resembling that since lubo.
John,Lubo was one of my heros,i cannot think of anyone, more talented anywhere than he.At Attacking Midfield.
In midfield there are talented attacking midfielders,like Lubo and as you know workhorses,with a lot of energy,strength and a fighting spirit that makes them winners,that is the kind of mid.i was referring to,more like Broony.Players that can win the ball.
who the feck is john mcginn.signing rubbish from the SPL IS WHY WE ARE CRAP,WE COULD GET RID OF THE tANNADICE TRIO RIGHT AFTER THE SEASON ENDS
Calm doon.
Aye we’ll just go and compete in even tougher foreign markets for players who want £20k+ per week. That’s never been tried before…
Some of you lot need to realise that Celtic aren’t that big or rich of a club as you wish they were.
I think out of the 3 Armstrong is probably showing the most promise.
He can also play in several areas of the Park.
Mackay-Steven needs to start producing on a weekly basis and Ciftci well I think Celtic is too big a Club for him.
Charlie those you mentioned will neve make it inmo,they lack strength/pace/athleticism and are average to say the least,just ask yourself who came in for them before us,who has shown interest since they came to us? we need better far better just to move up the Europa.
John some of the guys we have are going to take 12 months to 2 years before they are good enough for Europe.
Others will take perhaps 3 to 4 years before they hit that level but I believe they all have the potential to do so?
This of course is going to require some patience from the Support.
That is the real challenge I think for any Manger at a Club like ours where expectations often surpass actual ability.
Patience is the key these boys all have good technical skills and time to bulk up and fill out.
We tried to get Messi..but he said there was too much rain in Scotland…Oh and he needed £3000 pounds an hour.
Get real…we don’t have the money to get who would really like.
Oh…and McGinn is good player…so whit’s wrang wi’ that.?
Mike Vardy 1mil/Maresh 400k so there are players you don,t need to break the bank for you just have to know what to look for,Bobo/Lubo/Didier not to mention Henryk what did they cost us,there are loads of players about we just don,t have a scout that knows what to look for most of the time.
Problem is now everybody is looking John and you have the likes of Man City and Chelsea hoovering them up at even younger ages now so they don’t miss any.
We need to produce our own whilst looking for unearthed gems as buying them outright already polished is now a no go for Celtic.
Charlie Saiz,
I must disagree with you saying Chelsea and Man City are hoovering all the talent up.
Nonsense.
Europe is a big place, many countries like, Hungary, Bulgaria,Romania, Czech Republic, Austria and Belgium have all produced world class players, these are the countries Celtic should be taking a look at.
I would rather have eleven top quality young Scots in the Celtic side, but at a club as big as Celtic, in 2016, International signings is going to be a fact of life.
Longer term, I hope fervently to see a Celtic side dominated by Scots, kicking ass in Europe! HH
@Monti
You won’t go wrong scouting in the Balkan Regions Lubo could well be the man to do that?
Great athletes,normally tall athletic with excellent technical ability.
But the fact of the matter is the top Clubs have agents allover the World sending them vids in the hope that Big move happens.
It shit but we are now in the market for the cast offs.
Occasionally we will find and sign an Ajer,Van Dijk or a Wanyama who are looking to develop in Scotland with a view to moving down South.
I’m with you and all the others who wish to see a predominantly Scottish based squad with one or two bits of experienced quality thrown in.
Deadhead,what an apt monitor btw.
Mcginn is the Hibs midfielder,who was instrumental in the beating of the DEAD club and most recently Hertz,just like S.Allen he currently plays for the Hibees,who as you know or dont plays in the championship.
Where the fuck did the lions come from,heres a clue it was north of Engerland and south of Iceland.
Mike,
McGinn was the ex-St Mirren player, right?
Rebus
Scottish Football produced the Lions,the Quality street kids,Kenny Dalgliesh et. al.I know that the Quality is not World Class at the moment but we are where we are,the Development Squad has some good Scottish talent and the Premiership still has the best of our talent as well.We still produce good midfield talent at present and my own opinion is that i would rather see home grown Scottish mids.bearing doon with smoke blowin oot there erchies than PrimaDonna foreingers piroetting about the park.
That is correct Rebus,when he left the saints he was beginning to show his talent,i thought we might have picked him up then.Since he joined the Hibees,his all action style and goalscoring action reminded me of a young Broony,who i believe he will replace eventually.
H.H.to you Rebus.
@Mike
I’m with you regarding the home talent stuff bud.
I actually think Deila has looked at Stein and is perhaps using his template as a basis for his.
If we can cherry pick the very best of Scottish talent early enough it is doable all we need do is Support these guys with experience and quality up the spine of the team.
At the moment when fit we have..
Gordon Mulgrew Brown Commons
3 of that 4 will need replacing in the next 2 years I think meanwhile the kids are getting older and wiser playing with them.
I would like to see us sign the likes of Paterson at Hearts and Jack at Aberdeen.
Charlie,with you all the way on that,John Young has come up with good names,but i always want to see a Celtic side with good Scottish,English and Irish players,playing for the jersey.We need to scout better than we are doing to get the best talent for our budget.
John Mcginn?
I’m still trying to forget his grandfather!
they had a training game the other day and there was midfield players playing as right backs and centre backs because there where too many of them
where does that fall on the grand plan?
Total football ?
‘ good for there development’
bgbhoy,
I remember reading Dennis Bergkamp’s book and he said that when he was in the Ajax youth academy, forwards were regularly asked to play their non natural position, this was to make them comfortable in possession anywhere on the park.
i agree, but this was not the reason they where playing these postions and it was ‘a bit of a farce’
@bg
Sounds to me like wee Jamesie has far too much to say outside of office hours.
He’s beginning to sound like a bitter man fucked off at no longer being the golden child at Celtic Park?
Wee Kieran has the Conch 😉
“Geez that lad canna tackle”
“Play him at Right Back he’ll figure it out”
“That lad is shite in the air”
“Play him at Center Back he’ll have to do it”
Was Scott Allan playing as a defender?
I remember going to CP for a pre-season friendly against (I think) Brazilian opposition…
Big Jock put out a seven man forward line.
We ran a riot…
Why no ?
Mike Bhoyle,
I would be happier with just two strikers..
It was just a wee memory Monti…
It’ll never catch on…:0)
No problem mate!!
Mike if you look back at the doins we got from mediocre Europa teams you will see that in the main they all had a degree of strength/pace,when they stepped up a gear we folded dramatically,we are not only weak/one paced we are inmo mentally weak,every team even in the SPL that put us under a bit of pressure come close to beating us,if your players are strong/fast/athletic you have a chance of producing but when they are physically/mentally weak and slow you have no reserves to draw on.
John,I completely agree with you on that,i put that down mostly to our set up,4 2 3 1.we were nieve and directionless.When MON set up his team,with better players admittedly,every player new his job,ie Lubo if you backtrack i will kick your backside.I watched experienced wingbacks bombing up the pitch without a care and defensive mids.doing the same.I put that down to tactics and bad coaching.How else could you explain why relatively good player would fold like that,they left the defence totally wide open.I could have sworn that we would have used other tactics in away games,tactics that suited the players we had.
You right mike but tactics require players with capabilities/attitude,our much maligned defence wouldn,t be half as bad if we had mid-fielders with the strength/fitness/attitude to do their jobs,I mainta that in defensive positions we should have a minimum f5 in the box area therefore the middle men should e applying pressure on the attackers,leaving defenders to defend the goal area,the dynamics of the game have changed dramatically in the last 20yrs,with the emphasis on athleticism/pace/strength we are woefully short in these and get easily rolled over against even mediocre teams that have these attributes.
John,what you are suggesting is to bring in 2 new defensive midfielders to reinforce the defence and to link up play with the attackers,is that correct?
Does that mean that Broony,Biton,Mulgrew,Johanson and the other mids. are not up to the job and if so who do we bring in?
John,replied to your post below but it disapeared lnto the filters.
John Young,
James McGrory had the players running around a track, getting fit, Big and strong.
Jock Stein introduced the football to training drills.
The rest is history!
on another note… a lot of chat in the crammed dressing room by mulgrew re his memories of mon and the silence that he commanded whenever he stepped into the room! the term ‘could hear a pin drop’ was used!! then laughs as the comparisons to now are made
wonder why hes talking about mon……..
To undermine Ronny?
no not at all, just hope they know something we dont and maybe the talk of him coming back is true!
dont think thre are many fans regardless of their feelings on ronny who would knock back mon
I gather O’Neill prefers to play 4-2-3-1 nowadays would be interesting to see the reaction if that was to happen:-)
Nobody but Deila, eh Charlie?
Not at all he gets my backing whilst he is here and whilst we are still producing on the Domestic front Monti.
I happen to think if it was O’Neill playing the system very little would be said about it.
Ronny’s an easy target he young and he’s Foreign with fresh ideas.
I gather O’Neill prefers to play 1 up even though he has several decent finishers to choose from in the Republic squad?
That speaks volumes to me if true.
caption careful what you say bgboys hiding in the shithoose and he is one mixing bastard
glug glug glug
how many games did charlie play for mon sleekit
probably none, but he was in and around the club so im sure he would know!!
would you like a can sir?
🙂
🙂
Lol
bgbhoy,
I would love to see this happen mate!
ffs the phsychotropic imaginary friends are back
Because he is a knob
SOURCE? I’ve read quite a few comments over this season on various blogs that, Charlie said this and Charlie said that, Charlie said Chris said this and Tony said that. If Charlie doesn’t respect or even like the manager and the coaching staffs methods, why would he want to stay? He had 1 (ONE) good season at CH, picked up POTY, signed a improved contract and only has had the ‘odd’ good game here and there ever since. Only my opinion.
That reddit screenshot is brilliant.
Maybe we should try out the infamous 0-10-0 formation to keep some of our midfielders happy.
Re.Davie Hay’s comments regarding future sanctions against the club if flares are released by our” supporters”,here in Australia teams are now being deducted points as well as being fined.I can see the SFA going down the same road, especially if it means making life more difficult for the Celts.
Yep I have been waiting for this to happen.
How things have changed…
I remember being on the largs bus to Hampden in the 80’s two casuals got on at Greenock.
Nothing was said all the way to the park up point,anyway no sooner had these two fannies got off the bus had both been punched the fuck out and left lying in the river of pish cascading down the gutter from all the rest of the Tims disemnbrking up the hill.
Both were told do not expect a lift back if you they wanted their teeth still intact by the time they got back to Greenock.
I shall never forget the sight of those pish stained pringle jumpers or the effect casuals had on the wider Support.
These flare numpties are no different in my eyes ultimately selfish in their actions showing complete disregard for the one thing they claim to love most.
Fine them,ban them and if that doesn’t work well into the gutter with them where they can swim with the pishes.
csc csc csc csc csc csc csc csc csc csc csc csc
😉
You been reading ‘ Bravo two zero ‘ again?
Do you really want to go there again Monti?
Where? 🙂
Commando…. 😉
The guys who light the flares should pay any fine the club gets, that’s fair to me.
Yep pass these fines on to the culprits.
Bawdman,
You hit the nail on the head. I bet there would be outrage from some sections of the support. Suppose the GB flew a Palestinian flag and the club got fined. Should the GB pay?
Rebus
Yep
Arresting so called fans for letting off smoke bombs , ok but were any Arabs arrested last season for doing the same at Stranraer,as for sectarian signing do not get me started,the fascist SNP polis have a very different idea of sectarian signing to me,seems 30,000 zombies up to their knees in a red liquid is fine,but shouting IRA a left wing non sectarian organisation,is not allowed
Deadhead,
What else do you expect in Scotland “the bigoted littleist country in the world”,
We as a support may, in general, have affiliations and sympathy with Irish nationalism/republic movement – but I have no idea why we feel as a support we need to sing about it within the stadium – it gives credence or at least the perception of credence within the wider community that we as a club have sectarian influences just like the zombies from across the city. Keep the singing to the supporters clubs and bars before and after the game if you feel you must sing about what is considered within the wider community to be a terrorist organisation.
Don’t feed the SMSM two cheeks of the same arse argument.
I personally couldn’t care less about what the zombies sing about – I just disagree with the whole whataboutery surrounding them…!
Sloop,
….nah. Click here to cancel reply!
I passed a test there.
Good man, Monti, I hear you.
Sloop,
Supporting Irish Republicanism or Nationalism isn’t sectarian!
Go and do some reading on the subject FFS!
If it’s terrorism you are interested in, Google ‘ British Empire ‘!
Let the people sing!
Sloop,
Would that ” wider community ” be the same community that allows Orange walks to disrupt parts of the country every summer, with their beer bellied, Buckfast drinking fuckwits who follow it?
Or the same community who are protesting against the flying of the Irish flag this easter?
‘ greatest wee country in the world ‘? For one culture maybe.
You should move to another Country Monti.
I did.
So did I Charlie,but ….watp fuckwit braindead mentality follow follows…..fuckwit sectarian bastards…..not nationalist by choice,but fuckin PROUD.
800 years…..brilliant….almost cured my hangover I laughed that hard…. !
Caption: Great, great grandad Arnold Boerrigter models the original Ajax treatment room!
” ouch, I think I’ve torn something ” said Arnold.
Team for tomorrow: ( no point in puting down a different formation as it won’t happen)
4-2-3-1 ( sighs)
Gordon
Lustig
Mulgrew
Sviatchenko
Tierney
Brown
Bitton
Armstrong
Mackay-Steven
Forrest
Griffiths
Subs: Bailly, Boyata, Allan, Christie, Roberts, Kazim, Cole, Commons.
Well if we go off the 4-4-2 against East Kilbride perhaps we should just put out our preferred formation and tell them to put the past 6 months behind them and concentrate on doing a thorough job of dispatching Morton?
I would like to see a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 myself but more than comfortable going with the tried and tested.
Injuries permitting…
BAILLY
LUSTIG BOYATA SVIATCHENKO TIERNEY
BROWN MULGREW
MACKAY-S JOHANSEN FORREST
GRIFFITHS
Subs:Gordon Bitton Armstrong Allan Roberts McGregor Richards
I’d prefer 3-5-2 myself, but it won’t happen!
Never say never Monti Deila did state once we had this System nailed on he would introduce more.
He has dabbled a bit on and of in the Cups.
I don’t pay attention to anything he say’s!
@Monti
I know that’s half the problem bud 😉
Charlie Saiz,
It’s how it is, mate!
He also said ” judge me in Europe “!
He has been!
@Monti
About this -He also said ” judge me in Europe “!
I agree with this in principle and would have done exactly this had he not said it previous to this Summers window and what has unfolded injury wise since.
He probably regrets saying it for these reasons alone I should think regardless of the results?
I would have been on his case for Europe if things had not panned out the way they had.
Navigating the qualifiers is always tough,the games come very ealy innto the Season,the sides you play are sometimes well into their own Seasons and then there is the bedding in of new faces,the pitches (often artificial) then there are injuries.
So it’s a potential banana skin for any Club.
We haven’t performed well in Europe that is a fact.
Several of the performances were well below that you would expect from a Celtic side that is also a fact.
But the injuries,the personnel loses in the Summer are also factors very important ones egarding how we have failed to perform.
The defence has been a shambles both on the Domestic front and Europe.
You cannot hope to progress in Europe with a shambolic defence.
As a direct result we haven’t.
So I will judge him next season if indeed he is still here to lead us into it.
Jeez I thought it was Morton this week.
🙂 Ignore the above line up ^
Wow! Monti GMS//Armstrong/Jamesie that’s some trio kindergarten stuff.
Going by John Collins statement,here is a list of possible candidates for the chop (they are not my choice btw.)
Boerrigter,Cifti,Scepovic,Commons,Ambrose,Lustig,Cole.
Offered new contracts?but not yet accepted,Forrest,Mulgrew.
Players possibly for sale,Bitton,Johanson.
It seems also to suggest that the current management will remain in place,for next year.(cue howls of anguish.)
Good diary Ralph, good quality debate at the moment.
I wonder about the different surfaces Celtic train on at Lennoxtiwn and play on at CO. The Hamikton Chairman mounted a spirited defence of 3 g pitches while others insist the players don’t like them and pick up too many injuries because of them. Either way training on one surface and playing on another cannot be good for any athlete. I hear Celtic may have bought land at Barrowfield, maybe the first bream will be returning there?
celtic are currently builing apartments at lennox town as the manager wants to train in the morning, lunch and a snooze or chill session then back out for training in the afternoon
met with mixed response from the uk based players but normal practice abroad
I hope the front door isn’t a revolving one, Efe won’t know how to get out!
Thank goodness we are finally arriving in the, 21st century. I look forward to improvements to individuals technical and tactical side of their game.
I have raised the issue of the Lennoxtown Pitches in years gone by regarding the Compaction of the land and Sub Soils pior to laying the Pitches.
Having a background in Civil Engineering and a certain degree of knowledge on compaction both Natural and Mechanical it could well be whoever did the Groundwork over did it when compacting the land?
Given the land has been settling over the past 10 years or so it could be that the pitches are not giving enough under foot and causing issues with muscle and joint problems?
Consider how you feel after playing on grass surfaces week after week then you have to go play on red blaze?
It is very noticeable how stiff the lower limbs are by comparison.
Now whilst I am not suggesting this is the issue it could well be a factor at Lennoxtown?
I wonder if the Club has ever had the ground tested since it was layed?
Wouldn’t do any harm to find out and at least eliminate the possibility.
Charlie,you mean you were in the Reme dont you?Logistical Core or the Pioneers.?
Yes I have Military Engineering experience too Mike but not with any of that shower 😉
posted a reply to this gone walkabout..relevant to the post.
Charlie,
Was it a “large piece?”
Rebus
No not really bud but it did contain the words “Consolidation” and “Natural Compaction” 🙂
Hmm sounds like what ones alimentary canal does to shite.
🙂 Now if you go read it perhaps I can steer you away from the mastication to defecation process and lead you into the world of soil compaction and Civil Engineering.
Isn’t that a pic of one of the Gyms on the Titanic?
Yes.
Disco,trust a duck to come up with that one.
FAO Mike Boyle. Are you maybe thinking about a friendly against Slovan Bratislava (?) where an experimental line-up included big John Hughes at right back and we got beaten 1-0?
Ibrox Physio Department release pictures of revolutionary sports science breakthrough declaring…
“Mummification really does shpeed up the recovery processh from dead to alive in no time at all”.
Also..
New levitation techniques now in the pipeline for the new proposed hover pitch.
Caption: Celtic’s defensive confusion is becoming clearer as Lustig explains how he’s simply following orders, ‘John Kennedy told me that if I was confused or uncertain then row 10’.
My team for saturday-
Gordon
tierney
sviatchenko
Mulgrew
lustig
Brown allan
christie
Roberts
commons
griffiths
Partick Thistle v Aberdeen postponed!
I gather the travelling supports tears flooded the pitch?
Ronny Deila Out !
David CAmeron in !! – The rate he’s going we’d still be in Europe by now !
funny San
Cheers Monti. I missed that. Here’s my team, not Deila’s but I’ll stick with his 4-2-3-1.
Gordon
Lustig/Boyata/Sviatchenko/Tierney
Brown/Bitton
Roberts/Rogic/Commons
Griffiths
subs: Bailly/Ambrose/Mulgrew/Allan/Christie/Johansen/Kazim-Richards
3-0 to the Bhoys.
Likely team 4231
Lustig. Boyata. Erik. Tierney
Broony. Bitton
Roberts. Johansen. Armstrong
The Griffalo
Not fussed about subs. Suspect GMS will be dropped for a few errors last time out.
Uralius, Same team except put in Mulgrew for Bitton and Christie for Johanson.
Uralius,
I like your selection 🙂
One thing I wish to raise among our rabble here,
Our style of play, why is it that, and this is something that applies to previous managers, why is it that Celtic can dominate possession of the ball for the majority of games, yet after 29 mins, the opposition goalkeeper still hasn’t had a shot to save?
I have watched this in disbelief for years!
Because normally our eager frontmen have rushed in and picked it out the net for him r?
Random r trying to get in on the act..ignore the wee bastard works when it fekin wants on this tw@ of a keyboard.
Complete >>>>> r <<<<<<< cunt
🙂
It worked then?
” frontmen “? If only.
Our System consists of 4 attacking players Monti.
Hence why the Midfield alone has scored over 40 of the 90 goals scored this season.
Something I have often pondered about Celtic and the first team.
Imagine for a moment Celtic decided to sell every non Scot in the first team squad and replaced them with players from the development squad.
Sold: Bailly, Ambrose, Lustig,Fisher,Boyata, Simunovic, Sviatchenko, Janko, Rogic, Izaguirre, Richards,Cole,Bitton and Ciftci, sell them, how much money would that bring in?
Certainly enough to pay off the co op loan of £14m?
First team? All Scots, Gordon,Mulgrew,Kelleher,Tierney, Forrest, Armstrong, Brown, Christie, Allan
Griffiths, throw in a number of our best young development players to make up the side and bench.
We could supplement the squad by signing all of the best available Scottish talent from other teams, like Jack and Pawlett from Aberdeen, Calum Paterson from Hearts, Mcginn and Cummings from Hibs?
What if that was our model? Would we buy into that? Would we support that?
Athletic Bilbao do something similar in Spain, signing only basque players, from that Region, look at the hope that gives to young basque players, they already have a 50-50 chance of making it?
Just for the record, this isn’t something I would necessarily do myself, but I’m interested in what all you lot think.
You know what, a little part of me would like to see this happen. HH
Kelleher is Irish, but you get my drift!
Monti,
I’d support that approach, but we’d effectively be going back to 80s or early 90s so champions league qualification would be (or remain as things stand) a distant dream. Remember how Rangers got on with (generally) the best Scottish players except those at Celtic or in England, and supplemented by genuinely high quality foreign players like the English guys and Laudrop? That would be our lot short term, and I have little confidence that the current board and management team would see that improve longer term.
Also, on the £14m Coop loan – do we really think that if, come the time, we can’t pay it all back we wouldn’t be able to re-finance it/get another loan to pay it off? While I don’t think Dermot would give the club the money, I am sure if it came to it he’d act as some sort of guarantor.
Over 25 million made over 2 Seasons in the Champions League then consider the sales of Ki Hooper Forster Wanyama and Van Dijk.
Why was the debt not cleared then?
Spidy,
I know m8, Just a bit of fun nonsense!
Bit of fun?
We challenge pick any 11 from any team playing in the Sottish game right now that you think would give us a stiff test.
I will kick it off to get you started…
4-1-3-1-1
…………….Černý
Paterson Taylor Soutar Shinnie
”””””””’ Irvine
…. McGinn Jack Hayes
…………… Pawlett
………….. Rooney
Charlie ,is that for real Ash Taylor,did you not see him on monday again ICT?
Dundee keeper.
Paterson Draper TBA Shinnie
McGinn McLean Tansi Hayes
McDonald Rooney.
One bad game bud he’s had plenty decent ones too this Season.
Kept Griffiths quiet last time out and is a real danger on set pieces.
Have to disagree about Ash Taylor, looks like a liability anytime I’ve seen him.
Charlie, I’ve no idea, why was the debt not cleared then? I assume a choice was made to use the money for other things (the Celtic Way, players in and in a lot of cases pay offs to get them out). Is it a debt or is it a ‘debt facility’ that is there to be used if needed? Either way, if we haven’t paid it off by now, where is the money going to come from? Champions League is far from certain/likely and we’ve sold off the family silver on the playing side, so what is the plan?
Monti a bit of fun and long term, with the right managent team it could prosper.
This is my concern they have until the Summer of 2019 to pay it in full at the current rate of repayment that would leave about £12m (off the top of my head)final payment.
I think they are banking on the Huns coming up and using the extra finances from that to start putting a dent in it.
Like you say we could probably muster £10m from the sale of Bitton and Johansen or Jozo depending on how he does the remainder of this and next Season.
So perhaps that’s why we have so many Midfielders now?
It is definitely a debt bud.
It was hidden away under Non-Current Liabilities which only come into play when entering the final year of repayment.
However when the Loans were renegotiated they then as a result show up in the Annual Report as Current Liabilities.
This happened in 2014 and can be found in the Annual Report Page 13 Under…
BANK FACILITIES
“The banking facilities of the Group and Company for the year end
30 June 2014 are described in notes 24 and 29.
Following a review of potential future banking facility requirements,
the Company entered into a new lending agreement with the
Co-operative Bank effective as of 30 August 2014. This new
agreement has a combined borrowing facility of £20.40m which
consists of a £6.00m revolving credit facility and £14.40m in long
term loans. The revolving credit facility will bear interest at base rate
plus 1.00% and will reduce by £0.50m after year one and a further
£0.50m after year two. The facility will be repaid or reviewed after three years. ”
Link http://cdn.celticfc.net/assets/downloads/Celtic_Report_2014.pdf
My 11 –
Bain
Paterson Reynolds McManus Shinnie
Hayes McGinn Souter Cowie McGinn
Rooney
FIFA 16 XBOX LIVE
Celtic 6 v Legia Warsaw 0
I sent him a message with two mins to go.. ” ho on bring a sub on ” ouch!!
He replied something in Polish….lol.
It was quite short 🙂
I mentioned fatigue being a contributory factor for some of our players dip in form a few days ago Armstrong admitted this today in an interview..
“My body has had to deal with the greater volume of games you play here. There are mental demands as well. This is a huge club and there is loads of pressure and if performances aren’t up to scratch, everyone knows about it. So there is no denying the huge mental aspect of being at Celtic. But the combination of that and the physical aspect can be challenging.” Stuart Armstrong.
This would explain him and Johansens dip.
Both tend to cover a fair bit of ground in a game and in short sharp bursts.
Charlie Saiz,
I always smile inwardly when I hear football players talk of ” demands and pressure “, yes we play a lot of games, more than any other Scottish club, but let’s be straight here, they are playing in one of the poorest leagues in Europe, they should be fucking breezing it.
It’s not as if he has played 90 mins of every game.
Players these days need to toughen up,especially mentally!
Maybe some of these players should go and work in a care home, on minimum wage, 12 hour shifts…that’s pressure, I’ve done it! HH
Not so when you are playing a system that requires a higher level of intensity Monti.
Pressing teams is hard work hence why so many who try it run out of steam after 60 minutes.
Charlie,
When was the last time we played with intensity? It is a myth, mate!
Tell that to John Hughes Monti his mob were blowing out their arses after 70 minutes as we were cranking it up.
We aren’t pressing teams tho???
Monti,you fuckin nailed it.
Eskerrik mate!
Armstrong looks to me to be the proverbial”rabbit/headlights” lacking in mental/physical strength/pace/youch now how do you overcome these deficiencies? Johanson”skidmark” owing to the furrows he leaves on the park achieving fcuk all in the process,he hasto be one of our poorest acquisitions in a long line of poor signings,we have enough dinky motors running around and into one another.
John,based on your posts yesterday and with Armstrongs admission today then you were correct about him,my own thoughts on Johanson is that the team dropped a gear when we lost Ledley who i much admired.
My post 2u that was lost said similier,who do you suggest?
John 2 posts replies to you gone missing,but u were right re Armstrong,he says the same.My opinion is that we missed Ledley big time,who do you suggest?
Armustrong and Johansen should have been dropped / rested quite a few times this season as we’ve lots of cover for them. Lustig has been playing with an ankle (I believe) problem unfortunately janko also out with ankle injury. Janko looks really good (strong fast athletic and skill). We should have kept fisher I am sure he could have stepped up like KT. The all scots idea I think we will see that once or twice next season when a few more of the younsters like Mccart come through. Hope the griff scores a hatrick or more against ict
Thanks for the diary Always a laugh and good read. HH
https://youtu.be/JkmfvDNztVc
Kieran,CLASS,loved it.
Kieran,
Tal!
Kieran I support the aims of the republican movement but find it difficult when you really read into it,the treachery and machinations leave a lot to be desired.
https://youtu.be/VRX33gX3nWQ
Good choice, Basque!
Iain,Agree with you,Lustig is shot his hips and ankle have been injured for some time.Paterson of Hearts looks affordable and is a strong player,who imo would be a good replacement.
Having said that Saidy Janko i was very impressed with him.the little we saw he looked the part.
Hows Alberto looking, Cauld is it?
Dont repy if its over 20 degrees ma heid wouldny take it.
Bondi,if its over 30 degrees,in aussie land keep it to yerself,watched a good prog. on the telly last night,re the Dominion Troops in ww2,they werny as Braw as the Scotty Dogs. HAIL.HAIL.
I am not sure we need Paterson – I liked the look of Fisher when he got a few games, so him and Janko at right back. Eril and Jozo at centre back, with Boyata and Listig as cover. Maybe Lustig could play defensive midfield in the Dier from Spurs mould?
Chris Sutton, “John Guidetti started off like a house on fire and it was a shame that his ego got out of control.” Bahahahaha. He is not wrong just thought that was funny coming from him.
Uralius,
Were you complaining about Chris’s ego when he was giving everything he had to Celtic during his time with the club?
Short memory me thinks!
No I do not have a short memory, but that’s what makes this so funny. How he can attribute Guidetti’s dip in form to his ego when it served Chris so well….
Uralius,
I thought John Guidetti was a bit of a fanny to be honest, I was glad when he left!
I don’t understand some folks obsession with Calum Paterson?
I think he is shite…and he has a moustache!
Monti,thats because some folks can spot a player and some cant.
I take it you are referring to our Scouting department?
He has looked solid enough to me most games I have seen him play in.
Solid, yes.
A Celtic player? No.
Lustig Boyata Ambrose are all Celtic players have they looked solid?
I would rather have solid than erratic at Celtic.
Solid you can improve on.
What made Sutton a gallus player also makes him a gallus pundit. I liked him as a player, especially the way he wound up the Huns. I disagree with some of his pundit opinions but he’s better than the bland cliches served up normally. The guy has an ego but I can live with that. Larsson said in so many words that Sutton was a greetin’ faced bastard but also that everyone liked Big Chris for it!
teach ar tú Bhoys i glas!
t!
‘Mon an Fonsaí!
John Young,
I don’t think Nadir Ciftci has a future at Celtic at all, unless a new manager comes in and get’s him playing in another system.
Stuart Armstrong and GMS are very good players, I believe we will see the best of them in the run in and next season, we need to show patience with these two in particular.
If you can point out to me Monti the “good” parts of their game I might understand better,for me they do not have the physical attributes to impose themselves and dominate their opponents? they do not have the pace to go past defenders and punish them,other than a few meaningless tricks from GMS they have shown average levels of technical ability,they can,t even command a place in what is a very average Scotland,if we are trying to move forward then we absolutely have to bring in better types of players ffs they struggle in the SPL,could you see them playing for the likes of Legia or any of our mid to lower Europa teams I very much doubt it.
John Young,
When Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong were at Tannadice, they were the two outstanding attacking players in the country along with Commons at Celtic.
They are being played outwith their normal positions and much more is expected from them at Celtic, these are two very good players who are adjusting to being at a big club.
I expect a lot from these two in the coming seasons.
In time I believe we will get a lot of quality from these two, Stuart Armstrong commented recently as well about the far superior training at Celtic than what he was used to at Utd.
As for either player not having pace? Well I’d like to see you against them in a race from one box to the other!
Spot on Monti! 😉
I think the constant pressure of producing has taken both by suprise too Monti.
Even when we win fans be critical of performance whereas at United the priority will have been the points not necessarily the manner in which they are won.
I agree both have the tools to do a good job just amatter of adjusting to the pressure at Celtic.
Incidentally a well struck 20 yard pass will find it’s target quicker than Usain Bolt ever could 😉
Agreed … hoho 😉
Ciftci,joins a long list of failed strikers,like Sceptic he will get the chop,ironic that Griff. took up the mantle.
John was right about Armstrong his admission revealed that.
We miss Joe Ledley,who is his replacement john,no askin Monti cause he couldny spot a player if it bit him on his arse.
Mike,
Get it off your chest man, what are you waiting for?
Monti,just a bit of fun,no more no less.
Fair enough, I still think Calum Paterson is shite tho….:)
Stop trying to provoke me ya wee shoite, i know your game.
did you watch GMS/Armstrong/Johanson to-day,we start each game at least 3 players down if you add the hapless/hopeless Broonie into the mix we are at least 4 players down,even Barca on speed couldn,t cope with the likes.
John, got to agree on all 4,ICT played like a team,we did not,the first half was awful,i stick by my belief that all is not well in our squad,disjointed, still.
Serious doubts about next years qualifiers.
Got 4 months to sort it out.
The Scottish daily rags will be sick as they will need to come up with alternative headings as Dons draw level with Celtic will now not happen .
COYBIG.
some zombie donated a pound to james doleans crowdfund so he could kiddon he wisnae happy with the service ha ha what a bunccha fucking reptiles they are 5-0 to the champions today griff hatrick COYBIG
Off to the game on another miserable day to watch the hoops with the grandson.
Another freezing day,and by the time you park up and get into the ground wet and freezing.
Really why is summer football not on the agenda.
Instead of moaning about the state of plastic pitches,and games been called off because of waterlogged pitches give us summer football ffs. Probably about 30,000 today with a big majority of kids,Celtic must be losing quite a bit of dough when at home these days.
Anyway think it will be 3-0 or 3-1 today .
Hail Hail
You and the wee man enjoy the game mate HH
Jimmybee,
Hope you and the granson enjoyed the game. You have great prediction skills, although did you think you were off the mark during the first half?
Going to a game with the wee one! Does it get any better?
Rebus
Rebus yes we were very poor in the first half and a decent team would have had the game killed off there and then.
To me the central midfield area is the area which concerns me the most m8.
Button is too slow in possession and doesn’t put it all in.He offers no protection to the defence and broony is coming back to fitness.
Central midfield needs beefed up.
Hail Hail
Bitton I meant
2-1 today. Have no confidence we an keep a clean sheet!
I see it’s a safety first approach from the manager today – if the midfield don’t perform today, and he doesn’t change it next game, he’ll lose the dressing room (if he hasn’t already) in my view. Squad players begrudgingly accept not being picked if team is doing well. If Roberts isn’t in the team by the end of March, he’s off back to City in summer!
John Young,
Cheers but nobody won a war just reading about it.
The war is over – just a wee tune.
Well aware of that Kieran but knowledge or truth is a very strong weapon
Charlie, I suspect you are right that they hope them getting promoted will make a difference, what with the claims it will be worth up to £10m (not sure I buy that unless the TV deal increases as a result of our games against them, they expect season ticket sales to increase (either cost or numbers or both) and sponsorship increases when they are back).
There will be an increase in turnover for sure I can see the 2 home games being a sell out because no matter if they are a new Club their fans are still who they are.
That first game tickets will be like gold dust.
Like it or not TV and sponsors will be clambering to get involved in a Derby that creates genuine interest all over the globe.
They need money to function we need extra money to kick on.