Celtic Diary Monday January 21

Many years ago, the Sunday lunchtime pint was taken with a group of blokes who had been to see their teams play the previous day. It would include fans of Celtic, Stoke, the Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Aston Villa. On the tables in front of us would be the Sunday papers, including the Post and the Mail, which in pre-internet days were the only contact for us exiles with how the game was going in Scotland.

Almost to a man, there would be shaking of the heads and questions as to whether or not the reporters had actually been at the game they were reporting on, and someone remarked famously that he was “surprised they got the score right.”

The online herald yesterday had a match report on the Hearts game on Saturday. Celtic 4, Hearts 2.

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. And they wonder why circulation figures are plummeting to the floor.

Anyway, a thoroughly refreshed and focused Celtic dismissed Hearts 4-1, with in form Gary Hooper adding a couple of goals to his impressive tally, and Samaras and Lassad completing the rout. Lassads in particular was a work of art, as he floated the ball past the stricken hearts keeper. Well, focused for most of the game at least, but it was more than enough.

Before the game there was a minutes applause for Sean Fallon, the club legend who passed away on Friday, and manager Neil Lennon dedicated the performance to the “Iron Man”

“I think the players wanted to give Sean a good send off and I think he would have been happy with that as well.”

He continued;

“Thats probably the best we have played at home. We challenged them today and the players did everything we asked of them.”

Inevitably, the questions moved to the subject of a possible move away for Gary Hooper.

“We had a chat last night after speaking to his representatives and we wanted to make our position clear to him and he is quite comfortable with it all. We have made it clear that we are not selling him, we don’t want him to go, especially at this juncture of the season.”

Which should put everyones mind at rest.. No?

Okay, can it be true that Hoopers deal with his current agent is about to run out, and he will not be renewing it? Could this be why there is unrest and ridiculous bids coming in?

On those bids, and any future bids, Lennon added;

“Everyone has their price , and what Garys price is will be down to the board and myself to decide. What we were offered on Thursday was nowhere near our valuation of the player. We don’t have a set figure, however goalscorers are at a premium and Gary is a goalscorer so we will set the bar pretty high for him. I am hearing that Norwich might come in again, but good luck to them on that. He is at a big club as it is and he is in the Champions League. His ambition possibly is to play in the EPL and I think he is good enough to do that now, there is no question about that. It just depends on the level he wants to play at and I don’t think he is far away from international level as well. I mentioned him to Roy last week and he said he is keeping tabs on the two boys so its all good.”

And the important bit;

“I am not going to stop any of the guys progress because i wouldn’t have wanted it done to myself, but I am the manager of the club and they have to do what Peter Lawwell and I think is best for the clubs interest, and in the short term it is keeping Gary Hooper here. But we still have two weeks of the window left and the last week gets pretty heavy. I am sure he is on the radar of plenty of clubs.”

Read into that what you will, but it looks like he isn’t going anywhere, and even if he does, it will be for good money.

Adam Matthews thinks he wants to stay, and the Welsh full back reckons the team spirit at Celtic will persuade the other jewel in the crown (did I really use the word “crown ” talking about Celtic?) Victor Wanyama to hang around as well;

“….we’re still in all four of the competitions we started in. That shows how much of a team we are. If we can keep hold of those two it will make us even better and that is what we are hoping to do.”

Interestingly, that team spirit, the wee bit extra that has seen Celtic do so well in Europe, could well be the factor that means the adventure won’t end against Juventus. The Italians beat a poor Udinese 4-0 at the weekend.

On paper, they have a strong side, but the team spirit is the factor that cannot be budgeted for when the game shifts to grass. Ach, its what Celtic are all about.

The Daily Mail has Celtic in for prolific Burnley striker Charlie Austin if  Hooper does move on, or possibly Japanese starlet Yuji Ono, who apparently would prefer a move to Celtic, if hack John McGarry is right. But, remember, it is the Daily Mail, who are not noted for paying any attention to anything  that doesn’t concern the shires. In fact, the lad did well to get a story accepted with the words “Burnley” and “Japanese ” in it.

Still, Carrowroad.net, the Norwich fansite, has seized on the story as though it were gospel, even adding that Celtic have reluctantly accepted Hooper is away.

Not much happens down Norwich way, so at least it gives them something to talk about. Especially with Alan Partridge finished now.

Alan Partridge, the clueless egomaniac who thought he was a tv personality.

Which brings us nicely to Ally McCoist and his all singing all dancing Sevco Rangers.

The new club sneaked a victory in the Highlands against Peterhead, who  finished the game with the now statury ten men. not in the least bit interesting in itself, but his post match bleat, bemoaning how unfair it was that he could tempt players to play in the fourth tier of Scottish football.

Fairness, presumably, is playing in the top tier and giving your squad large tax free loans instead of paying wages like everyone else.

Charles Green has also installed , we hear, one of his own companies, Garrison securities as the in house security firm at Ibrox, removing one time oldco creditors G4s…

Green isn’t around this week, he’s away to meet his many millions of supporters over in Australia. Surely he isn’t running away because their new sponsors and kit manufacturers are about to be announced, and they may not quite be at the level they are accustomed to?

No adidas?

If rumours are true the new club will have “McGills buses” on the front of their shirts next season, and a brand logo on the tops which is a guy doing the Broony. Maybe Australia won’t be far enough away…..

Another wee rummage in the old programmes and fanzine box threw up an interesting memory yesterday. How many games did it take John “the journalist ” Hartson to finally score for Celtic?

Busy day today. I’m off to buy a new car.

Looking for something I can hang sidieways above a pool and then dive straight through the doors.