Celtic were handed a bit of a lesson last night in Herning by Europa League pacesetters Midjytlland.
Well, a lot of a lesson, when you look at it closely. A ten minute spell in the first half ripped the heart from the players and the support in such a way it could be years before we recover.
Well, before I recover.
We did a podcast last night, and for some reason I was compared to Rikki Fulton’s Rev. I M Jolly, though I doubt I came across as happy as the comedy character.
Celtic were doing okay up until the 33rd minute, not great, but just about holding their own, and just when you think a few tweaks at half time might lead to the hoops possibly even coming home with a point, the roof caved in.
And they were all avoidable goals. simple player errors.
It would be too easy to blame individuals, or decide the manager got it wrong. For all concerned, it’s still early days. We can bemoan the lengthy injury list, sadly now two names longer, but that isn’t the issue either.
What was a peak earlier this year in Munich has now descended into the trough of last night in Denmark.
We were undeniably up against a far superior side, stronger, quicker, cleverer, and we didn;t know what to do about it.
Hopefully, Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney will know what is needed to move the squad forward now, with regards to personnel, shape , formation and so on, but more importantly, where changes have to be made.
For me, the low point of the night was when the commentator announced that a player was “receiving instructions from Gavin Strachan “, that noted and respected elite coach.
Maloney may be guilty of micromanaging players during games, but if he thinks that will get a result, then that’s his decision.
But Strachan ?
One of the problems with interim managers is that they cannot make long term decisions, even if it’s bloody obvious what they are.
There were two more hamstring injuries last night. There is a treatment room full of players carrying long term injuries. We even have one or two that took part last night who have just returned from injury.
Whatever the fitness coaches are coaching, it isn’t fitness.
They have to go.
Sadly, we also discovered that Seb Tounetki, Ben Nygren and that Balikwisha bloke aren’t actually all that good. Of the three, Nygren is the most likely to succeed, having a natural talent for being in the right place at the right time, it’s just when he gets the ball it goes a bit awry.
I hesitate to call it a rebuild, maybe a rebirth would be better, ironically yesterday was exactly 138 years from the formation of the club, but change is needed at all levels.
Including the board. Or at least some of them.
Celtic have stagnated, on and off the pitch.
The board, and some of the support, have an unhealthy interest in events over the river, and yes, while they do affect us, they shouldn’t drive our policy.
On and off the field.
Scottish football has more than it’s fair share of problems, and whilst a considerable number of it’s participants and organisers are happy enough with the status quo, we should be above that.
Martin O’Neill looked shell shocked in his post match interview. I think we all know how he felt.
He , too, had a rude awakening last night, He, too, realised there is a massive amount of work to be done at the club.
Which may well hasten his departure, unless he really has caught the bug again.
The next week or two, to say the least, is going to be very interesting.
Friday has rolled around again, and that means it’s time to once more laugh at someone who has made himself look a bit silly this week.
Tom English, the Irishman who works for Radio Scotland, has once again annoyed the Celtic support.
I’m not quite sure getting beat, away from home by the top side in the tournament so far, is a grim chapter.
I am sure that English will not be giving the same amount of vitriol to the other Glasgow side who have now had seven successive defeats in Europe.
Or that their new manager has the worst first five game record in the clubs, sorry, both clubs histories.
I wonder if there’s an email somewhere that states he has agreed to have a pop at Celtic to help deflect attention from Ibrox, as we know he has form for that sort of thing.
Anyway, a round of applause, if you will, for this week’s
Etims Knob Of The Week
Tom English
On Wednesday, we had this…
Ibrox – the search resumes for that 49ers gold
Today…
Its fucked but still more chance of a tune out of that than Celtics right hand side!
Caption: I’ve heard that if they play The Billy Boys on that thing a monkey starts to dance.
He says it’s a laptop, but that Thelwell will tell you anything,Billy.
Caption: “Can you see them coming?”….”Naw but a canny see us coming either!”.
Though we started ok..but as has happened so many times before we lose not just one but 3 goals in a bad 10min spell..both full backs decision making was shocking..not getting anywhere near close enought to their man.really shocked at how Tierney struggled to mark his man and also how unfit he looked when getting back from a break up in our play.The idea of KT moving into central defence looks shot cos hes just no that physical enough anymore.Our midfield 3 did not help our defence in anyway.im afraid i cant see us qualifying
Caption
49ers deliver new state of the art entertainment system to Edminston House.
Caption: “Haw Jimmy, dae ye know yer arse is hingin’ oot yer troosers?”
“You sing it, ah’ll play it, wee man!”
That was a hard watch last night and starting without Daizen was just plain stupid. He can terrorise defences and as we were already under strength (thanks Peter) we needed to use some guile. They were dangerous from the off with Osario, I think he was called, an immediate threat. Our only chance, as I said to my nephew within 10-15 minutes, was to score 1st and panic them. We didn’t and we know the rest. They were superior all over the park but why? Ask Lawwell.
Denmark’s league is probably similar to Scotland’s but they had better players everywhere. It was mentioned they’d brought players in from all over the shop and clearly they understand scouting and spending a lot more than our bean-counter-in-chief.
GET LAWWELL GONE!
Maeda was only considered for 30m against Dundee, so I was surprised that he played all but the last 10m of ET against them.
Given that, he was never going to do 90m and, as he seems to get frustrated these days and starts hacking, it was probably better not to risk him getting sent-off, as he would’ve made no difference to the outcome.
Clearly, we prioritised the Huns over last night, which is depressing but realistically, how many fans wouldn’t?
Cha, if he wasn’t fit then it makes sense but it’s really all behaving like a perfect storm at CP just now. IMO, the board is hoping to get through the AGM and then just more of the same from them. I just hope that the Celtic Fans Collective, if it’s going to be the spearhead, is backed by all the other supporters and the (far too) many different bodies involved. Lawwell’s GOT to be ousted and his little fiefdom toppled if we want to move Celtic FC forward to what it can really be. The Danes are indicative of what’s possible with a progressive approach at CP.
Cha I responded but it’s been hooked. Ggrrrr!
Nothing Earth shattering anyway!
BTW, English is an absolute gobshite and embarrasses the Emerald Isle with the anti-Celtic crap he spouts.
Him and Jackson could win that dignified honour week in, week out so a good choice for Knob of the Week.
Completely in agreement with the Knob of the week award. We were not great but could believe what I was reading on the BBC!
Last night shows Midjytlland’s development that in 21 we took them to ET in the UCL qualifier with a woefully threadbare team under Ange, now look at them a proper team, run properly with a strategic plan to achieve their published goals! Look at us a hollowed out team/club with a senior management team with no ambition, desire, inspiration or ideas/strategy to achieve such declared goals/objectives. It is complete and utter mismanagement, a clusterf#ck
Absolute nonsense. They were totally on top from the start and had plenty of chances before they eventually scored, which was inevitable.
There were no tweaks we could’ve made that would’ve made any difference and thankfully at 3-0 they eased off, otherwise it would’ve been a total gubbing.
The O’Neill onanistic overdrive should’ve spluttered out after last night. They play thoroughly modern football, as do plenty of other so-called lesser teams in Europe.
The age of the dinosaur is long past and we need to, very belatedly, embrace modernity.
Tom English – couldn’t agree more more.
One question – you said some of the board need to GTF. Just out of curiosity, which of them would you keep?!
Didn’t take me till Thursday night to realise that Balikwisha was shite. Obvious from his first appearance.
Have any of BR’s big money signings really worked out?
HELP! I’ve read that the Celtic Supporters Trust has had problems with proxy votes being transferred to them for the AGM. I want to proxy mine over to the Celtic Fans Collective but not sure what I need do. I’ve got the form and return envelope to Computershare and it looks like I’d just need to insert ‘Celtic Fans Collective’ in the box on the back but not sure if that’s enough. Also, it’s very strange that the problem occurs just before the AGM and I’d think if it’s a created problem by our board, which wouldn’t surprise me, it would be grounds for deferring the AGM until said ‘problem’ is fixed.
Any help much appreciated here.
‘Not Another Penny’
I say, have you seen a monkey?
As European team have went forward, we’ve went backwards. We need a European coach to take us forward. But be rest assured, the board will take the cheap option as per usual. Our back 4 are dreadful. Ralston, scales, even Tierney, and Sinasalo should get a run in goals. Our team lacks big hardy players that can dish out a don’t mess with me appearance. As Wim Yansen said, if you don’t concede goals, you don’t lose games. Not rocket science.
The 49ers gold found from Thursday caption is reinvested in the latest state of the art stadium entertainment system
Trusty
LANCE AM NO WAN FUR SAYING STRAIGHTEN UP BUT FFS STRAIGHTEN UP
Sober as a judge. Worst Celtic performance from a team in Europe since the dortmund game. Lost the plot. Scared as fvvk. Anyway over it now. Still support the team. It’s what we do
After Thursday’s European nightmare, maybe it’s handy to come up against a struggling team in a home fixture to get things back on track. Killie, who have lost their last four games, are in free fall atm with a very leaky defence and a severe goalkieeping crisis. They’ll no doubt try and frustrate us with a low block so our players have to show plenty of energy and good movement in and around the box, mix it up with a few diagonals and balls over the top, go for a direct approach and not be afraid to test out their dud replacement goalie from distance.
Saracchi has to start while Yamada, still something of an unknown quantity, might just make a positive impact at some stage. It’s time to focus our efforts on winning the league with the EL taking a back seat. Just win this one Celtic cos if we don’t, we really will be up schitt’s creek.
I hope there is substance in those reports about our club’s interest in Killie’s midfield starlet David Watson as he’s a fantastic young player.
Those recent meetings between fan associations and members of our board seem to have been a complete waste of time with the latter showing absolutely no intent to accept criticism or remedy the fans’ immediate concerns. In fact, the recent six-game ban imposed on the Green Brigade show them up for the slimy self-serving hypocritical bawbags they really are.
After Thursday’s European nightmare, maybe it’s handy to come up against a struggling team in a home fixture to get things back on track. Killie, who have lost their last four games, are in free fall atm with a very leaky defence and a severe goalkieeping crisis. They’ll no doubt try and frustrate us with a low block so our players have to show plenty of energy and good movement in and around the box, mix it up with a few diagonals and balls over the top, go for a direct approach and not be afraid to test out their dud replacement goalie from distance.
Caption.
MON and Maloney still can’t get a tune out of the players
Fvcking awful performance disagree about the Tunisian. He’s about the only shining light either maybe Osmand. I have lost interest and look forward to the Millie game with scant regard. Absolutely painful. Especially after watching hibs matching the same team within a great couple of goals of putting them out. Scared wee boys playing against journeymen a foot bigger. Awful
Killie*
Caption
Hey mister, can you play “ the ranjurz are coming”
Caption: How long have I been grinding my organ? Longer than Jim Whyte watching the Rangers on YouTube son.