Celtic Diary Wednesday 25 May: Etims Credibility Takes Another Knock

Before we get to the shameful accuracy of yet another of our predictions, a quick mention that its forty nine years to the day that Celtic lifted the European cup.

Just in case no-one else reminds you.

And don’t let me hear anyone ever moan about the English and their constant harping on about 1966.

Right, on to more news that you got on here before it hit the papers.

Remember last week when we told you Neil Lennon was hinting to players  he’d got the job ?

Well, it appears he did think he had it….

“I was close to Celtic. I just got pipped by Brendan. I was interviewed last week and then I got the shout on Friday they were going to announce someone else.

“So I am doing the Euros with the BBC and Irish TV and then I have a couple of options when I get back. 

We were aware that he was after the post, which isn’t really a scoop, we were also aware he was merely back up in case the primary targets weren’t interested, but he seemed to think that he was getting the job back.

Hence that bloody smug grin on his face when he was talking to players…

However, alls well that ends well, and its the bold Brendan rodgers who is now Celtic’s 18th manager-when I was a lad we were on our fifth- and 18 is my lucky number.

It was when I was allowed beer, which made me the man I am today.

Rodgers has already got his head down and started work…

“Since I was appointed I’ve looked at every single goal Celtic have scored and conceded.

“I know where there are areas we can improve on and gain. That’s important for us. I probably started doing that a wee bit before I was appointed. I had the idea I was coming.”

“This is a club that expects to win titles and be competitive in Europe. The measure will be on both and that’s what I’m driven to achieve,”  “They fell short last year on a couple of set-pieces. That’s what stopped them going through.

“I’ll need to assess things and I’ll need to look. There are some good players here and some young talents.

“I can look and identify all I want from a distance. You always have an idea of how to change things and there are one or two players I’ll want to bring in, but I want to look and speak to the players who are here.

“Hopefully then the ideas will be empowered by them.”  

As usual, hacks tried to remind him of the English Premier league;

“Football is football – you represent the team and you go anywhere with them whether it’s up the road or in Europe.

“I’m looking forward to this job. It’s different. I’ve had five years in the Premier League and that’s great.

“I’m 43 and if I’ve to have another 20 years of management in me then I was never always going to be in the premier league and would never want that.

“I’m here now at a club I love and a team I want to do well with and also one that I have an affinity with and that’s what excites me.” 

And that, in a nutshell, is what excites the support.

We often speak of a player, such as Keiran Tierney, living the dream.

Maybe we have a manager who is living it….

“When I used to see the stadium here when I was younger, it was full, One of the times I came here they were building the stands but I remember European nights when Martin was here as manager with sixty odd thousand in attendance.

“This is a club that has that support – and more. So when I hear and see that the top end of the Lisbon Lions Stand had been shut down for the last couple of years because it wasn’t getting filled then that gave me a big motivation to get people in there to watch the team play football.

“Maybe the competition hasn’t been there but I’ve come here believing this is an incredible club and I’m really looking forward to working in the league. Of course, it’s different – there are more glamorous surroundings to go and work in. But I have a real passion to do well here. There are well respected clubs here and if I’ve come in and given things a lift then so beat it.” 

I’m fairly sure he means “so be it “.

Then again, he could be talking directly to the hack.

Well, we all thought it would be easy with a proven manager in charge, but promoted pretenders “rangers ” have upped the stakes, signing, somewhat surprisingly, IRA sympathiser and anti Royalist Joey Barton, much to the delight of Ibrox fans everywhere.

Its unlikely that Colin Smith will name any of his children after the player, for instance. Then again, Joseph was never the most popular name amongst that lot.

Barton, of course, was tremendously upset when the old club died,

and wants to help put the new club back where they belong, and it appears that he’s added a scriptwriter, presumably the same one who does the club statements.

You’ll note that it’s asistant boss David Weir who is introducing him to the world, and nit Missing Mark Warburton, who still hasn’t appeared since the Cup final, amidst growing concerns for his well being.

We hear he’s okay, just pondering his next move…

and how come he is in such an exotic location ?

Well, the Green Brigade, in an act of mercy, spotted only by Joe fix on twitter, who happened to film it, smuggled him out at the end of the Cup Final, after they stormed the pitch in borrowed Hibernian scarves, to lead him to safety from disgruntled “rangers ” fans.

Another story you won’t see in the media.

Don’t believe me?

Watch this exclusive video…

Warburton smuggled out after Cup final-by the Green Brigade

Now to Celtic, and Brendan Rodgers and here’s a name that might crop up again, and if it doesn’t, at least the Diary will get its credibility back.

Sandro. Over at West Brom.

Sandro has spent the last six months on loan at English Premier League side West Bromwich Albion, but his future remains uncertain, with The Express and Star reporting the Baggies are yet to make up their minds whether they want to sign him permanently.

The midfielder is still only 27 and has vast experience in European football, signing with Spurs early in his career, where he earned the nickname The Beast.

A Copa Libertadores winner in South America with Internacional, Sandro also impressed in Tottenham’s Champions League run the last time they were in the competition, starring against AC Milan.

Known as the Beast-not that sort, you’re thinking of someone else-for his no nonsense style, if there really is a credible threat from the presence of Joey Barton, this loon could be just the man to put him in his place.

Is there a credible threat ? Can Barton become the number one player in Scotland, as he seems to think ?

Like Ian Wright, Carlton Cole, Roy Keane, and one or two others, he is about to find out that Scottish football is a little bit faster and a little bit meaner than what he, a little bit older, is perhaps used to.

Mind you, he’s confident enough.

Burnley were rewarding him for last year with a new one year contract, but he had been told that he would feature only occasionally, his ego has taken him north. Thats the story here.

A story you won’t find in the Scottish media.

The story you will read will be along these lines;

The 33-year-old said his move came after being seduced by the history of Rangers, but he was reminded on social media of tweets sent in the past stating his support for the other half of Glasgow. 

Ah, the history. Well, it wouldn’t have taken him long to read it.

And fifty four titles in four years is pretty impressive.

What it means in reality is that almost all of their transfer warchest, as it were, has gone on one player, with three exiting.

At least it means they won’t sign anyone who is any good, and a number of Premier sides may now look at a couple of free agents who could do them a turn.

And there’s news, courtesy of Comedians For Yes on twitter, of further events down Ibrox way…

Yes, I know, 49 years since Lisbon, and I’m talking about them.

You know why ?

Because Lisbon is the very reason that we can talk and laugh about the mess they’re in, as one mans obsession eventually made them what they are today.

Deaded.

Like joey Bartons wee lego man before his new pals see it.

There’s been talk of an Etims get together, which is fine by me. any excuse for a beer and a chat about football.

But lets be grown up about this, and try to organise it properly. First of all, we need an idea of numbers, to see where it could be held.

So, if you think you’d like to be there, a wee note in the replies.

Don’t worry, it won’t be one of those do’s where you have to pay to get in. We’ll just find a pub or something and have some beers. Probably one next to a chippy.

The adverts on Resolution 12 go live today, notably in the Grauniad, as the Summer Of Contentment moves to the next stage…

Caption competition, I’d give it to Half fool, who commented on another picture, the one with Leigh Griffiths and the league trophy, claiming that it was Griffiths was cutting down on the bevvy to impress the new gaffer.

Today, your thoughts on this  blast from the past… when football was played by men who had just done the morning shift in the pit, and the football was just a break before they headed to work a night shift on security at the docks..