Celtic completely ruined Scottish football with a 5-0 win last night, and despite an illuminating and enterprising display of attacking football have now made it very difficult to summon up the enthusiasm for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile , Second Rangers continue on their quest of completing a full season of victories in the league, which would be a world record, and an achievement that will put Scottish football back on the world map, more than compensating for failing to reach the World Cup finals next summer.
There. That saves you buying a paper this morning.
So, which of Beelzebubs minions went into Celtics dressing room and stole all of our players, and swapped them for the bhoys who put on another superb display, this time against Motherwell , with five great goals and a plethora of great moves ?
The second half of the season, despite all you may hear or read from a petulant Scottish Sports Media is all of a sudden something to look forward to and savour. Neil Lennon has suddenly moved from his rigid sidieways football to a controlled pressure game, with each player suddenly having half a dozen options every time he’s in possession.
When you compare that to the ho-hup style earlier this season, which consists of hoofing the ball from Forster to Samaras and letting him hang on to it until he ran into the pitch side adverts, its like watching a different team.
Celtic laboured for most of the first half last night, and seemed to be getting pulled into the old style, but when Kris Commons quick thinking opened the scoring with a cute back heel, the team appeared to relax a bit.
A few words from Neil Lennon at half time, and a wee adjustment-I know, it seems unthinkable -in the style, and Motherwell didn’t know what hit them.
Efe Ambrose added a second with a header , Commons again-his seventh goal in four games-, Stokes, after good running and crossing from Pukki, and then Bahrudin Atajic caused a headache for the commentary team who had to [pronounce his name when he lobbed an otherwise impressive Motherwell keeper to make it 5-0.
Just pause there for a moment, Kris Commons has seven goals in his last four games. All of them proper strikers goals. That to me sounds like he has found his best position, probably by defualt, but he’s found it nonetheless.
Credit must go to Motherwell, who actually weren’t that bad, doggedly defending and trying to make a game of it. Special mention to their man of the match Steven MacLean who denied Celtic two blatant penalties-one when a Motherwell player saved a cross from Scott Brown, and another when Teemu Pukki broke the new rule that says you cannot leave your foot underneath that of an opposition players, in case your opponent dmages his studs. This offence carries an automatic booking, as the flying Finn found out.
As Stein once said, it doesn’t matter about the referee if you play well enough. As was proved in the Fir Park snow last night.
The result leaves Celtic eight points clear of Inverness, who visit Paisley today to face St. Mirren . Both sides will have played fourteen games by tonight, and despite Celtics superb run, Inverness could still only be a win and a draw behind. And we travel to the highlands on December 29.
Dundee Utd should leapfrog Motherwell into third today, if they beat Hearts, while an Aberdeen win at St. Johnstone would see the dons join them on twenty six points, just ten points separating the top four.
Its getting better. Might take a couple of years yet, but the new clean, sporting version of the game is taking shape.
Mind you, its the last time I watch it on tv in my house.
Had a few mates round, and when I popped out to get some more beer, the bastards smashed up my couch and threw a flare at the dog.
There was a few people there, so I’m not sure which one did it, but one guy has left his business card scattered all over the room.
Still, as they pointed out, its all insured and I can pay any fines to the council-the police were called because of the noise -out of my christmas bonus. And they did create a cracking atmosphere-one of them brought a big flag with him, and a drum.
Something similar seems to have happened at Fir Park.
Smashed up seats, ripped out seats, and melted seats ? Melted as in burned ? Thats clever. Who could possibly be stupid enough to set fire to something in a crowded stand ?
Now, it should be easy enough to identify who was given the ticket to each of those seats.
And when they are identified, they should be banned, For life. Whoever they are.
Enough is enough.
Accusations have been hurled towards those lovable scamps in the Green Brigade, who in turn have blamed hangers on, who in turn have blamed the stewards for not doing anything , and deflection carries on. And on.
Simple. See if you were in any of those seats last night. Don’t come back. You’re not wanted.
And whoever threw the flare onto the pitch-next to the Celtic goalkeeper, ( not that it actually matters which end it was at, but your own keeper ? ) could you ask your mum to give the ticket to one of her kids who actually survived the birthing process ?
Celtic have released a statement, which is fairly ominous.
CELTIC Football Club has released a statement following Friday night’s Premiership game against Motherwell at Fir Park.
“Clearly we are appalled by the scenes from last night´s match and the actions of a small minority which have again tarnished the great reputation of the club and our supporters on a night when our team produced such a fantastic performance.
“We are currently investigating these events and will update our supporters early next week.”
By calling it a small minority , and saying they have done it again, the Green Brigade look to be on their way out. Whether or not it was them, and only the stickers and badges stuck to some of the seats point the finger of blame at them. If I was running a business and something was costing me as much in fines and damages as what they were, I’d be looking to get rid of it. It looks like the club have already tried them for this one, and found them guilty.
In fact, I’ve a better idea. You know the person who was in the damaged seat ? Make him pay for it. And extra costs, and an admin fee, and interest charged at Wonga rates on a daily basis.
And take his season books off him and give them to a schoolkid.
At least that would raise the average IQ in the ground.
If not neccessarily the average age.
Ach, Celtics playing well, it was a great game, and the Barcelona game next week, previously a meaningless midweek jaunt, suddenly gives us the chance to try out the new formation against a top class side. It should be fascinating.
So why waste our time on a bunch of kids who can’t take a drink ?
The pub in the picture was Tullys in Motherwell, sadly no longer with us. The pub was closed after a local councillor complained that the flag shown, which was on display at the front of the pub, was likely to cause offence, and trouble.
This was how the landlady explained it to me at the time.
Today, heres someone to cheer you up. No matter how happy you were already.
Who is she, and why could what she does this week affect Celtic ?
Is she the girl who’s married to the Barcelona center half, and is she pregnant?
Is that the mott who was opening the balls in the world cup draw?
Samaras, Ambrose etc’s fate in her hands……
Shakira could do any number of things that might stop Pique from concentrating during our match with Barca.
Another great performance (two in one week, who would have thought that could happen?). Instead of praising the quality of football and the goals, the media happily focus on the seats and flares and any other crap.
Don’t know who is responsible for damaging the seats, but by the sounds of it they should support some new Glasgow club and transfer to the ORANGE brigade (an bhrigáid oráiste).
I’m probably Lennons biggest critic (Lennon today instead of Lemmon) but credit where it’s due as you’ve said the last two games it’s like we’re a different team. If we keep playing in that style, sell Samaras and bring in midfielders to replace Brown and Mulgrew, who will always let us down in Europe no matter how they play in Scotland then I’ll maybe change my opinion of Lennon as a manager. Outstanding performances recently, Commons obviously but also thought Ledley, Lustig, Izzy, Efe and Virgil have been just as good. Ledley and Izzy seem to have found a new yard of pace from somewhere, team looks to be buzzing and I hope we never revert back to the big diagonal lump up to fannyflaps that you mentioned. As for the seats and flare thing, if you can’t go the game without getting so pished you don’t know what you’re gonnae do then don’t go. The d*cks with the smoke bomb too, just stupid as f*ck, all it does is bring a bad rep to the fans and any legitimate protest or rebel songs are lumped in along with that behaviour. The fans should maybe self police somehow, I know you’re only responsible for yourself and your own behaviour but unless the clowns doing that shit are put out it’ll ruin all the great work and atmosphere the fans and the Green Brigade bring.
Completely agree bogbhoy.
And those “sevconians in disguise” have not done the Amsterdam 5 any favours with their pathetic “Ajax Ultra” style antics last night.These guys can’t be real Celtic fans. In the words of another sevconian, ” who are these people?”
Great result last night. amazing what you can do with the right number of midfielders. I have always been a big fan of Sammi but we have been too predictable when he has played this season. No more whingers or should that be wingers?
At least whoever threw the flare had the sense to get it beyond the goal line thus no danger that Forster would come for it and get hurt.
Shaggin Shakira and playing for Barcelona…As Ian Dury once said “There ain’t half been some lucky bastards”
Shakira? Can’t sing. Cant dance. No Hips. No Ass. No tits. No sex appeal. Hails for a drug invested mess of a country. See how easy it is to put a negative slant on things? The #SeatScumbags should be found, charged and banned foir life in order to show a lesson to those who don’t get it. W dont need thudg culture at Celtic. I’m livifd that we’re not able to eulogise about Celti’s terrific football without thre being a asty taste in the mouth. This plays into the hands of those keen to find fault & see the Amsterdam 5 in jail to gloat about.
Wonderful flowing football is what is what I grew up with. Lets celebrate that.
Great performance last night thought the 2 young lads who came on were excellent. Let’s see some more of them as the season progresses and give them more time both looked class. The finish for the 5 the for great he knew he was scoring as soon as Stokes passed it.
Now, it should be easy enough to identify who was given the ticket to each of those seats.
Our seats where for the damaged area, cause of the cops outside being bams we got in after ko, couldn’t get near our seats, aisles full as well of wee bhoys jumpin about like maddies, so yep identify me for a seat there, but I was never near it.
my son had a similar problem – his seats were in the area but they were taken by GB hangers on. There should be plenty of police CCTV to identify the culprits though (or is this going to be the one time the police weren’t filming the GB/ Celtic fans?).
If some wee ned has deliberately smashed up seats then the club must ban them and I imagine the vast majority of the fans will applaud this.
Fair point. So we have to rely on video evidence. Which isn’t the best. Sounds like a stewarding /police malfunction in the ground.
Therein lies the current problem, Joebhoy. Who was responsible? There are accusations flying about like shrapnel that has exploded far too soon and is slamming into everyone and anybody simply because they were there. Condemn the actions with the greatest vehemence but it is totally wrong to condemn before we even know the accused never mind the guilty. And there has been plenty of that of late. Some, in fact, have the rope slung round the branch ready for the hanging. I instead have a range of cannons at the ready to fire barrage of shells at those who were to blame but I will keep my powder dry till it is proven, BEYOND DOUBT OR SUPPOSITION, who caused the damage and endangered people with flares. I am definitely not excusing the behaviour of imbeciles but I was hammered to many times over the years for something I did not do to be lynching people purely because I am angry. Old men like me, and even the Autumn chicken is younger, remember past years when a few seats being broken was the least of a fan’s worries at Parkhead, Hampden, Fir Park, Tynecastle, Ibrox – shall I go on? I was often just glad to be still breathing or walking home. In my book, Joebhoy, there is no need for the innocent like yourself to have to present an alibi.
Right now, the only surety is that this behaviour must be stopped and those responsible given the ultimate penalty, banishment by the club. They have destroyed a unique reputation built on blood, sweat, tears and subjugation of which they, in their “tender” years, have no comprehension. We had climbed the mountain and were able to proclaim to the world without fear or hesitation that we were the best supporters in the world in any sport. Now? As much as we may choke when saying it, we ARE as bad as those whose behaviour during much of my lifetime we were justified in condemning. No matter what, we were never quite as bad as the others then. Now? You be the judge, an honest one, if that is possible these days.
H H
I regret the damage to the stadium and the flares. However this sort of activity is ofetn related to the contempt that football supporters are treated with, espeically away supporters. I have complained to the Council,Motherwell and Celtic about the upper stand at Fir Park:
“As we got closer to kick off the numbers of Celtic supporters increased,I know it would be great if they all could arrive 15 minute early, if they all sat in their seats and applauded good skills by either team but what a poor atmosphere that would be. The fact it was a Friday night probably added to the large numbers arriving late, they surged around trying to find the right row, were advised by stewards to “sit where ever you can” which led to problems with some having eventually found the right row but their seat was occupied and guys maybe having a number of seats together not able to sit with their mate and the dangers the fact that while seats were marked rows were not leading to absolute chaos with fans having to stand in the passageway, one fall from the top and a serious incident could have transpired.”
As I also pointed out if the motherwell Directors took their duties seriously they would have done a sitevisit to the stad in te close season.I apprecite that stand is probably open only twice a season, they take our money. They need to take their responsibilities seriously too.
Whilst I can sympathise with those who have been ill treated, there is absolutely no excuse for destroying a reputation which spans many more years than the people who did the damage at Fir park.
I say identify these people and ban them for life, the majority of real Celtic fans do not want these people, the manager does not want them the players don’t want them. Can they not see all the money we faithfully put into the club via season tickets and merchandise will be used for fines and not to strengthen what we should all the supporting the team. HH keep the faith