Here we go again, another night under the lights, which no doubt Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, will claim is the reason we’ve all got to go three hours without power every day during the winter.
Thing is, we need those lights, since UEFA don’t allow banners or pyrotechnics….two more fines were handed out to Celtic today ….and we hear they are clamping down on scarves and hats.
Don’t believe me ? Okay…when was the last time you saw a rosette or one of those rattles ?
Exactly…quietly phased out by UEFA’s fun police.
So we need those lights….don’t we ?
Whilst visually spectacular, and probably a little bit disconcerting for the visitors…at least the first time they see it, perhaps fortress Parkhead is still a ways away…. as Marco Rose, the Leipzig coach explains…
“It’s a great stadium. We’re going to have a great crowd with a very knowledgeable crowd that not only supports their team but also appreciates when the opponents play well. It’s a lot of fun to play here!
Apparently we also carry their players bags in for them and make them all a nice cup of tea whilst they read the papers.
Not for us the hostile atmosphere of a Galatasaray, or the intimidation of an Ateltico Madrid, we roll out the red carpet for them and hold their coats for them while they proceed to give us a right good kicking.
Just once, and preferably tonight, can we try to put them off a little bit.
Get their coach driver to break down on the way to the ground, or the staff at their hotel to make sure there’s no towels or even hot water.
Turn the heating off in the dressing room, and have some bloke with an electric screwdriver working on it while they do their team talk.
Maybe get someone to pop his head round the dressing room door and tell them not to worry too much about the rats, as the poison should start working soon.
And I’m quite sure there must be a shop that sells itching powder somewhere in the east end….or better still, a wee bit of chilli powder on the benches….and then when they rub their eyes in front of the lights…..
There are one or two doubts about one or two players tonight, which compound the managers problems, Calum MacGregor misses out, as does Carl Starfelt, and it may be that Jota doesn;t start, as according to Ange he is suffering from
“muscle strain, fatigue and being too good looking. “
I feel his pain…good looks can be a burden.
the media, social and mainstream, is full of advice for the manager ahead of tonights game, and you have to envy Postecoglou for having such a rich vein of knowledge to draw from.
There’s the text of probably the only decent interview with him here….Celtic Star Ange interview ..which is worth a read of you want the managers thoughts…and some decent questions answered, instead of the usual guff that appears mainstream.,
All I can offer by way of help is that whatever the manager decides to do, he should do it.
Which is pretty much how he runs this railroad.
If our campaign is to come off the rails tonight, I’d like for ange to look us in the eye and say he tried to do it on his terms, but we’re not quite ready yet.
When he started in Scotland, it was the same. Celtic languished mid table for weeks, and then got their act together.
It will be the same in Europe, and whether that’s this season or next it doesn;t matter, because we are still building the team, in personnel and in style.
As he says…
If we put in a good performance we will probably win the game. From my perspective the way we go about things the way we do is because we think it will give us the best chance of success. For us the focus is to put in our best performance and that will give us the best chance of getting a result.
Sometimes, stubbornness can be an ugly trait, but if you look at it objectively, stubbornness is exactly the same as self belief and determination…it only becomes stubbornness when things go completely wrong and one refuses to change things.
In Europe, things aren;t going wrong, and with each game the margins get finer, and the levels are increasing.
The mistake against Leipzig was to sit back after scoring, and that allowed them to regroup…the difference between Celtic now and Celtic past is the players and management are learning from their errors, and when you consider Celtic are far from out of the tournament, then there is still time to put those mistakes behind us and progress.
Starting tonight, of course………
Yesterday, we had this…
John E Mitchell
After one or two shaky decisions in recent weeks, Joe Hart attempts to address the problem by having a “stabiliser ” fitted “
Today…
Before tonights game, there will be a minute’s silence for those who lost their lives in the tragic incident in Creeslough, Donegal.
Celtic FC Foundation have also donated £10,000 to the Community Support Fund.
If you can help, you can donate here….
“It’s a lot of fun to play here “….just pin that on the dressing room wall and more importantly outside each turnstile!
I want to see a real attitude and application in our performance tonight, never mind injuries and all that other shiite, just get wired in from the first whistle.
Two things, Joe Hart, do not give gifts to opposition players. Kyogo & GG take your chances when they come.
Caption.
“And with this disguise, I doubt Hector would find you”
Hunskelper extraordinaire unveils cunning disguise to take Maedas jersey tonight…..
Who’s the ugly cnut in the middle between Fat Shally and Alex Rae?
Caption
Is this how it feels to have a lobotomy?
Negativity spills over from the journos, but tonight if the team holds it nerves this is doable 3-1 at Paradise
Mcmoist “ is that cream Chris? Tell me it’s cream
“Just once, and preferably tonight, can we try to put them off a little bit.”
To be fair, I think the fans try to do this with a cacophony of boos whenever the opposition are in possession.
We need to accept that European football has changed and teams now know more about the opposition and have players that are professionally prepared for whatever game they play in.
“In Europe, things aren’t going wrong, and with each game the margins get finer, and the levels are increasing.”
I’m not sure that’s true, as we may have improved from Real to Shakhtar but definitely went backwards against Leipzig.
Time will tell whether this is a learning season and we’ll improve next or whether there will be another reset, as we lose players, and need to start learning all over again.
Caption: Sutty “and its tax deductible”. Pair of Diddies “Ha, tax is for Timmies!”
“European football has changed” whit a load a hoarsesh!t
We stull huvny wun a gemme in the group n this year wullny win away, same old same old ya dafty
We know your team hasn’t won in their group.
In fact, they’ve been battered 3 times with, hopefully, 3 more to come.
Obviously, 0 points would be record-equalling but what’s the record goals conceded an d has anyone ever failed to score either?
No wonder you’re always on here in a foul mood, so would the rest of us, if we supported your team.
It’s not that his bawz are itchy, it’s that he has none!
so funny my sides are sore. Are you still laughing
so as long as the hunz get zero points its ok for us to get 1. is that what your saying ya trumpet
Caption
swimming cap , flat cap , talking crap
Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite
Caption
Chic Young impersonator attempts to infiltrate Sevco lodge meeting