Tynecastle tomorrow, and Celtic will be looking to keep the free scoring style on track ahead of the last chance saloon game with Shaktor Donetsk next week,
Are we about to get the train back on the tracks with the greatest comeback since Lazarus popped back out ?
Well, there’s always hope. The fat lady might be on stage and clearing her throat, but she hasn’t burst into song yet.
We’ve already got an idea of what to expect on the east coast from alex cochrane, one of the Hearts players who were sent off back in August when the two teams met…
“It’s one of those games where sometimes you have to take bookings against Celtic.
“If you give them too much respect they can potential walk all over you. From that game we stuck in there from the start to the end and we knew it was going to be tough.
“On Saturday we’ve got the crowd behind us, we know what TYnecastle is going to be like and we need to be fully at it and start at 100 miles an hour.”
It seems that Robbie Neilsen , the Hearts coach, has his work cut out to instil total football at Tynecastle.
mind you, there’s VAR for the first time in the league, which means two referees can now ignore Celtic player’s pleas for protection as the hammers are launched through the air towards them.
BBC Scotland showed a documentary on what we can expect from the new system, with Ian Fyfe, the deputy head of refereeing being the man trying to explain what it all means.
Curiously, when explaining how it works, not one clip of one “rangers ” player featured in a “controversial ” moment.
And when referees tried to explain the pressure from fans, only Celtic fans were shown….
Though they did have a “rangers ” fan telling us how bad the referees were….
Quite how having matches refereed in a new way part of the way into the season can be deemed fair is inexplicable, but then we do operate a league where some teams play less home games than away matches. And vice versa, so the sense of amateurishness and feeling that they’re making it up as they go along pervades.
One referee said he hoped VAR would help him sleep at night, which I suppose is less controversial than being plied with drink at a Bellshill Bar to help get one’s head down.
He went on to say that he hoped it would help the brotherhood to get more decisions right, an effect that could also be achieved by simply widening the recruitment net to people who have never held an Ibrox season ticket, and encouraging promotion for the few with aptitude that never had one.
No one mentioned that having full time referees who could work on improving their knowledge and skills would probably have more effect.
There seems to be a circling of the wagons at the SFA, an attempt to deflect blame from their officials onto a machine, whilst all the while the machine can only be as good as it’s operators.
We’ll see tomorrow, when Joe Hart is penalised for handball in his penalty area, as his short sleeves will show up on camera as being those of an outfield player. Which they will call teething problems….
Still, it’s just as well for Fashion Sakala that there was no VAR when his side powered past Dundee in the League Cup….
The Sakala red card incident.
2 kicks.
Off the ball. https://t.co/Z3i5KvvdjX pic.twitter.com/OnTOjGzez8— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) October 20, 2022
I’m sure that the referees and their little toy would have picked up on that…..
There was a feeble attempt to accuse Ange Postecoglou of making players fell insecure in the Record today…
What Celtic players think of Ange’s selection shuffle as stars know rotation doesn’t apply to one man
The headline implies there may be a rift in the dressing room, a theme which they will develop towards the next transfer window.
The one man they are referring to is captain Calum MacGregor. who, er, won;t be playing again until he’s fully fit.
the article begins with Ange Postecoglou explaining how he tells the players the line up for a particular game…
“I don’t tell them, I just avoid them, mate. Easy discussion, I just put the team up and walk away.”
Which hints at an uncaring, offish , even self centred dictatorial regime….
Greg Taylor, however, pretty much spoke for the squad…
I’m part of the team and I understand it. I’m eager to play every game but realise that to keep a level of performance as a team, that’s not going to be possible, so I understand.
Rotation has been drilled into them since day one. It’s not a big deal, though it’s certain if anyone were to make it one, he’d be away as soon as a buyer could be found.
And of course, if you look hard enough you’ll find an explanation from the manager that makes a lot of sense….
“It’s all important. I guess that’s the kind of information I have that people on the outside don’t have. It’s not just the sports science, it’s what I see in training, it’s the way the guys are feeling about things. There are a whole range of rationale and information when selecting the team. Sometimes from the outside you can struggle to understand why managers, not just myself, do certain things.
“Certainly, sports science is there for a reason, it’s there to provide information on how the guys are going from a physical perspective. But training is there to provide information, the other coaches, everyone involved with the football club.
“I think for any manager today it’s about how you use that information. Throughout my whole career, I try to make these decisions by being as well informed as I can be.”
Speaking of the Shakhtar game, I’d just like to point out that this kind of behaviour towards an oppostion team when they come out onto the pitch is unacceptable…..
https://twitter.com/i/status/1582483493971701766
Though it would help to stop opponents looking forward to their visit to Celtic Park, which might improve our recent European record there,
Elsewhere, and Steven Gerrard, the former assistant to Michael Beale at Ibrox, has been sacked at Aston Villa. Gerrard took over from Beale at Villa Park but has made an arse of things since he got control, and will now probably wait for the phone call from Liverpool, where they still revere him, and are always looking for someone to help park the cars on match day.
With former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers also hanging his coat on a shoogly peg at Leicester, maybe English clubs will think twice now that it’s been proved that anyone can win a league with Celtic or “rangers ” and avoid trying to tempt any more underachievers south into a proper league.
With the ever increasingly fed up Gio van Bronckhurst looking for a way out of Ibrox with his dignity and bank balance intact, Gerrard may yet return to the scene of his greatest triumph, which would be a bit like Johnson replacing Truss at Westminster.
Both of which are probably worth a punt, given the relative stupidity of both sets of supporters.
— FollowFollowMeltdowns (@FollowMeltdowns) October 20, 2022
Is it too much to wonder if Gerrard has been sacked to make way for Neil Lennon ?
It’s Friday, and time for the Etims
And here he is, a man who has taken knobbery to an art form…… pictured here searching for his credibility as a politician and a football official….
It’s Douglas Ross, a man who needs no introduction.
He just barges in and says what he’s told to say, which often contradicts what he was told to say only just the day before.
We congratulate him on winning a trophy in his own image….
Here he is at his desk, as someone shouts “Oi, dickhead !” from the corridor outside
Which leads us to a caption competition….
The SFA’s new VAR operatives ably demonstrate their dedication to their new motto ‘semper vigilo’
Caption
New elite ball boys on way to Paradise
VAR good idea if it is not operated by the South Lanarkshire loyal, they will do everything to find fault with Celtic.
As for Ross he shows what the Loyal bears are all about, as they vote for a party of the far right in poor areas such as Shettleston, Bridgetown.
First thing I thought about VAR; it MUST be operated from outside Scotland. No reason not to and every reason to. I’d suggest the Republic of Ireland and maybe give that shower a taste of what we’ve had all my life.
I replied but it’s er, “Awaiting for approval”.
Oi dickhead, brilliant lol
The next batch of players from the J League arrive at Glasgow Central.
Watching THE Rangers at the louden or is the Bristol bar !!!
After a grueling day in the sweatshops of Tokyo, many Japanese commuters catch a nap on the way home; dreaming, just like their Scottish counterparts, of a day when they too may play for the mighty Glasgow Celtic.
Fvck the Tories.
Hear! Hear!
Hail! Hail!
Good diary and a welcome return for kotw.
Surely Ross is debarred from this by being a permanent dick of a man?
My own nominations are
Lafferty ( probably as above)
Ben ( Governor George ) Wallace
James Corden.
Caption
“Labour Party capitalize on Tory chaos”
Don’ t quote me Sun Tsu
VAR decision to over turn the rangers penalty ongoing
Caption …
The bullet train takes the strain
Caption: Etims announce another caption competition.
Regarding Big Ange I’d just like to say that he’s been the perfect antidote (or as near as possible) to the season we threw THE TEN. In around 16 months he’s got us The Title and LC. We’re in good positions for LC again and we’re Top of the League. He’s introduced probably the best style of football since the Lions and brought in some fantastic talent. He’s a PERFECT fit for Celtic supporters and, post-Lawwell, maybe even the same at Board level. We’ve competed well in the CL and certainly deserve more than the solitary point we’ve got to date. We CAN still go out vs Shakhtar and Madrid with style and see where it takes us. In any case we’ll be better equipped for next year. With injuries and a drop in form we lost our way a wee bit but Hibs and M’well games shows we’re BACK even with McClean and Robertson ‘reffing’. It’s always a good day to be a Tim but IMHO, since Ange came in, it’s been nothing short of FANTASTIC.
Hail! Hail! The Glasgow Celtic, truly A Club Like No Other.
Caption: The ‘shower’ of Scotland personified!
Sorry, caption didn’t show on my browser initially and I was of course referring to the 2nd pic of Mr Ross!
“Elsewhere, and Steven Gerrard, the former assistant to Michael Beale at Ibrox, has been sacked at Aston Villa”
Down here in Englandshire, he seems to be known as Mick Beale, so does anyone know why they didn’t want a Mick at Ibrox? 😉
Caption “The Tokyo Kyogo Special fans take a nap on their way to watch another Tynie thrashing (hopefully)”
The introduction of VAR is a good thing. That said it really does depend on who is interpreting it. I have heard players/managers say it’s spoiling the game. Usually after they lose a game and a marginal decision goes against them. No change there. I do hope with two referees and media replays there will be a whole lot more accurate decision making by referees than there is now. Let’s see how it works at Tynecastle. I expect some hearts players to be sent off based on previous meetings.
Caption- an old photo of Daizen Maedas pals heading home after a kick about
Caption,The Tokyo Huns supporters bus are badly affected after watchng the Dundee game
Two stonewall penalties. One not given
The one against Celtic (CCV) was NOT a penalty. There was contact in a contact sport with each going for the ball. NO FOUL TACKLE.
The Hearts player’s handball (with his arm) was a definite penalty for Celtic.
We got a result from a very ‘dodgy’ game as the Bhoys dug in and earned it.
The Board have got the ‘smoking gun’ today, like Lawwell had with Res 12.
Have the Board got the balls to back the manager and team?
It could and should be a clean slate with Lawwell gone so we’ll see how/if they respond. Anyway, it’s a terrific 3 points today from an honest and very entertaining team and manager. It’s difficult to fault the Bhoys mistakes sometimes and today, Mooy for example made up for his and we got the result. Hail! Hail! The Glasgow Celtic.
Penalty tic toc hearts player get there first
You mean the one with his arm?
I agree!
Caption
ref puts on love island on the monitor
Cheating hun bastards. VAR she goes.
andy warhole invented a stange way communicating because he was a retard. he was so good at it at well that everyone thought he was normal, perchance excentric.
bottom line though inside andy knew he was still a retard
he took it up the dirtbox if thats what you make reference to
We are now in the days of Orange VAR.Dirty fvcking orange bastards. No complaints about their penalty, but fvck me. Hun bastard SFA.
Caption.- Excuse me, can someone tell me where the ladies room is?
FFS, The caption image doesn’t appear on my computer and I thought the photo of Nick Ross was the caption image……duhhh
Me too!
The fix is in….not that it was ever out…..a blatant hand ball that a blind man could see, and a 100% penalty according to the rules…but not given by a ref with an agenda…absolute f*cking disgrace.
A fantastic result despite the best efforts of the Huns in charge of VAR, get it right up them!!
highseason, that was some up and doon match. When Mooy missed the sitter of the season I really feared the worst. But Ange put on that feared striker Greg Taylor and he did the job….thank fek for that.
Now that the final whistle has gone we can chuckle at all the hun fans that were tuning in and thinking we were gonna drop 2 points, which would have given their team a chance to go joint top, only to once again disappoint them.
If big Ange had any doubts about the Scottish referees’ agenda it was shown clearly when the ref ignored the Hearts hand ball..absolutely an in -your-face example of the corruption here.
Reminded me of my first ever away game with Celtic, won 4-3, Willie Gibson scored a hat-trick for Hearts and Dalglish scored the winner.
A great three points and another thre at Livvy next weekend would be a massive six points, probably are two most difficult domestic away games.
Far from a vintage performance but great fighting spirit shown to grab the win in the midst of such shameless cheating. The decision not to give us a penalty after such a blatant hand-ball at the end of the first half was a disgrace. One out of many baffling decisions – Neither Walsh nor McClean should be allowed near another Celtic (or hunz) game. Wonder how many pens will be awarded to the mankies against Livi through VAR later on.
To be fair the hearts penalties were legit ours was too. I think he would’ve given the penalty if there wasn’t var to rely on maybe not. It won’t be the first time. I’m for var 100 per cent.
Also Jen’s lucky not to get a second yellow
Like our manager I don’t like it, Goal line technology should be the only gadgetry used. When it’s being adjudicated by the filth within the SFA it will do us more harm than good, as was seen today.
Forget the penalties what about Ralstons goal, Walsh blew for a foul immediately, ignored VAR suited his own bigoted views. As Ange said VARis a joke, they cheated before, now it will add to their cheating. The right outcome today, but the so called suits should raise concerns about two really clear bad decisions by the South Lanarkshire Loyal today
It was bizarre, he blew then waited (or pretended to) for a VAR review.
Although Hearts wouldn’t have stopped the goal, if it would’ve been given, they would have had legitimate gripes that it violated ‘play to the whistle’.
Time to update the old classic “Who’s the Mason in the VAR?”
I think we may have our answer on VAR. the technology works the people running it make decisions that are the opposite of what the reply’s are showing. How can two referees and multiple play backs deny Celtic that handball ? Truth is it’s simply overlooked. Club need to make a big deal if this. The evidence is completely clear.
Nice try, but no coconut.
Sleep apnea machine for Steven McLean.
the scum tried to steal that off us today
yon zombie var mob will be plotting how to help yon huns at livi ha ha pathetic coonts
am no wan fur saying telt yees BUT telt yees ha ha aint huns scum
Geo must stay!!!!!
Caption: VAR decision in at Ibrox and…..no one is sleeping.
Delighted for Taylor. The pressure on Scottish lads is always higher, don’t get the logic of that and the gleam off his Turkey teeth when he scored was dazzling.
And Mooy must be really relieved ‘cos if we had drawn
and dropped 2 points after he missed that sitter he’d be
the new pinup bhoy…on the dart board.
I hear it’s raining in Scotland….somebody buy Robbie Neilson a hanky.
ffs sumdy needs tae chinj his nappy ///////typical wannabe zombie
I heard that werewolf impersonator say his shite team ‘rattled’ Celtic today!
Asking Neilson’s wife what Robbie does when he rattles her, she replied ‘huh! two jabs and a wee squirt more like’.
heh heh delusional disnae cover it henk
See, see after that game today, I was kinda shattered.
It had been ‘great’ and ‘horrid’ equally. The Walsh (ref) his typical disgrace.
But we ground out a great result, in the face of clear and future danger.
Not sure what, specifically, I’m trying to say here but,
it’s surely another great day to be a Tim.
PS According to that little snake McCoist…….och, he’s no’ worth ma time.
HaHaHa How did Livi’ get on in a midden? HaHaHa
How many new hun fans actually saw their v/late equaliser?
(Remember we’ll support ye uptae 4)
A great “equaliser” for Scottish fitba.
Been ‘on the piss’ since around 4.30, try like fukk but just drink faster and faster……. this is no boast, tell yersels if need be, but tell your children anyway, it’s a means tae an end, a dead end!
I got lucky. A professional, functional alcoholic.
LUCKY me, if alcoholism is ever lucky. And I know it seldom is.
Sorry eTims to have gone a bit wide but if it helps one ‘soul’ it’s worth it.
Just a point I’d like to mention.
I’ve been vociferous and noisy about voting without comment on here.
Whilst I appreciate the (anonymous) + votes some of my comments bring, it leaves a blog without comment, and hence no blog at all. A brief (very brief) comment helps the blog sustain and relevant.
eTims was and can be again one of the very top Tim sites; we all have a duty here. Anyway, hope some of my expression is worth your time. I’m needing sleep. Schlaff gute! (a Royal Family quote?) Get them tae fukk.
Personally, I like it better when people simply comment when they’ve got something new or extra to add.
I hate those sites where below some comments you get plenty of “great comment” comments that nothing to the debate.
With voting buttons you can see people who think it was a “great comment” without adding useless comments.
Cha, I kinda think but not sure what you mean here.
I vehemently dislike an option to anonymously like/dislike by just pressing a button. It’s a troll/idiot button IMHO and adds nothing.
I try to add value to the site and can’t/wont + or – without an identifiable source, i.e. me and a comment that explains why. Fukk me, the vagaries of the written word.
I sorta over-achieved again in the alcohol Derby until dawn, after witnessing our match and their result. If I’m not making absolute sense, okay. Please correct me, but leave it a while. I’m really unwell!
you want a girlie option
Naw, but perhaps you do. Inflatable?
If you’re a Tim, and I suspect you are, be mental, be obnoxious, but hold your hands up from time to time, Yerbozza!
Most of us, who’re able to think, have pity for you.
IMHO, that’s not what you seek. I suspect it’s approval (you seek).
I approve of you, Yerbozza.
Take the time to comprehend this, please, and ignore/respond honestly.
Vinnie.
well moanin and complainin about a like button sounds very 14 year old girlie to me. as the saying goes get a f.life
Yerbozza, I replied but it’s been hooked.
Whale Oil Beef Hooked.
BE A PART OF THE GAME,
BE A CHEAT.
The SFA/LRA thrift deity.
If yesterday’s cheating, and the failure thereof, hasn’t fukked the ‘minds’ of the terrible ‘brothers’ what will?
Me arriving at a LRA/Temple meeting may just high-light it?
Better to be inside pissing out…………
This is ‘off topic’ re fitba but very much related to our dear FC’s founding principles..
I wake up often with an image in my mind. A young girl with despair written all over her face. And I could do nothing. There were so many……
I’d left the comfort of my hotel, just off the Great Western Road, to visit a family member whom, also, wasn’t having the best of times. I had to go from the top of Byres Road to the bottom, by Partick Cross.
I’d run out of ‘donation’ pounds before I got to Hillhead (I think) underground station. The homeless were every 50 yards or so…… Thatcherism in life-form.
Not sure what I’m ultimately trying to say here……..just don’t look DOWN on those poor souls, help in ANY way you can. You’re possibly nearer to being one of them than you may think; if THAT is your only motivation here then okay, but still do something helpful.
I know from past Diaries that Ralph and co do their bit in their area.
And a (once) great wee footballer, Lou Macari does his bit too.
The huns, and especially hun media, tend to over-look this.
Ach it’s mibbaes jist more “honest mistakes”?