Celtic Diary Friday June 13: Even the Logo Looks Fed Up. (Editors Remix )

(  Apologies to anyone who caught the earlier version, which was presumably a victim of the same trolls who steal most of your comments..)

I just cant get excited about a sporting event where a government have spent millions funding it yet people live in squalor and deprivation. Where drugs are rife and life expectation is very low.

But we don’t have to worry about that just yet, the commonwealth Games don’t start for a while . 

But the World Cup has, and last night a worldwide audience millions of people watched in awe at the spectacular build up to the biggest event in global sport.

Here in Britain, we had Adrian Chiles and ITV, which kind of took the edge away from the occasion-actually, it was starting to take the edge away from the will to live, but the game, when it finally arrived, did have one or two talking points. Before kick off, though, the only thing that kept me awake was wondering where I’d seen Chiles before;

Yuishi Nishamura, the Japanese referee provided nearly all of them. Not content with awarding a penalty to the home side after Fred dropped dead at the slightest touch from a Croatian defender, the ever popular Neymar got a chance to put the Brazilians in front. This had followed an own goal reminiscent of the tragic Andreas Escobar by Real Madrids Marcello which had put the European side in front, and an equaliser from Neymar who could easily have been sent off minutes before after an elbow to the throat that had the watching Lee Mcculloch smiling in admiration.

The look on the face of the Brazilian left back, after he had turned the ball behind his own keeper ,  kind of had you  feeling he was thinking of Escobar at that moment, and this was proved when his wife was seen on the phone to his insurance company.

Croatia had a goal disallowed when their forward was adjudged too have jumped too high, and shortly afterwards forward Oscar, apart from the referee, tha man who had contributed most to the Brazilian win, ran on goal and hit the ball in a simple straight line into the bottom corner where the keeper simply couldn’t reach it.

Finally the crowd, which looked to be populated with anything but real football fans, erupted into applause and back slapping, which coincidentally was exactly how Sepp Blatter greeted the ref at the post match envelope changing dinner.

World Cup. You can keep it.

Todays games include a rematch of the 2010 final at 2000, Spain take on the Netherlands. When they met four years ago, Edson Braafheid, the former Celtic left back got a game, which shows just how high the standards are at this level.

So, back to real football that people actually care about, and Celtic have decided to address a few issues that have been concerning the club. I had a wander round the corridors at Celtic Park while the ITV panel of experts was practicing mass hypnosis, and found this;

Celtic to confirm its position publicly relative to the OBTC Act: Celtic issued a statement on March 4 to clarify its position relative to the Act

Celtic to discuss Policing at matches with Police Scotland and update supporters: A meeting has taken place with FoCUS, there was once again a commitment that the number of officers deployed would be reduced commensurate with behaviour, it has been agreed that dialogue between the Club and Police Scotland will continue.

Celtic to consult with fans on Coach Park for 2014/15 and update supporters: The Jock Stein 1, Upper Coach Park will be utilised for Coach Parking next season.  It is planned that this will be occupied by coaches on production of a pass in the same way that it was in previous seasons.  The Velodrome Coach Park will remain open for coaches whose preference it is to use this for ease of exiting and for overspill purposes should the Upper Coach Park fill up.

 As part of the new arrangements, the Upper Coach Park will also include a segregated area which will run parallel to the Janefield St pavement and this will be utilised for blue badge holders on match days. 
  
It is further planned that the land train will continue to run on match days to bring fans to and from the Velodrome and we are aiming at extending this service to include the collection and drop off of supporters utilising Dalmarnock Train Station if practical and permission is granted from the appropriate authority. 
  
Celtic to consider options with regard to increasing disabled spaces at Celtic Park: Meetings have taken place with CDSA and discussions on various options will continue. 

Celtic to update supporters on UCL qualifying match venue and transport: As well as promoting the Supporters Club network through each of the Associations and the Club’s Social Media and Website we have reached an agreement with Scottish Citylink where fans travelling independently by bus from Glasgow can book return tickets via the Citylink websitewww.citylink.co.uk on the 900 service. By booking in advance of match day fans can save 20% on the standard fares by entering a promotional code {TBC}, meaning travel to and from the game will cost from £6.57 for an Adult which is a saving of £4.22 and from £4.68 for U16’s which is a saving of £2.82. Fans using this service will be required to produce their bus and match ticket in order to travel at the reduced price. Scottish National Concession Card Holders travel free on production of their card on the bus, but are advised to pre book their seats for just 50p per journey on the Citylink website.  The 900 service runs every 15 minutes from Glasgow Buchanan St pre match and drops/picks up at Roseburn Bridge – just a short walk from the stadium.  Post match buses run every 30 minutes until 23:12 from Roseburn Bridge.  The 900 service can be picked up by fans travelling from other parts of Scotland at Edinburgh Bus Station.”
 
To date there is still no information from Scotrail, I suspect this will be delayed until they have the match dates which will allow them to arrange their schedules based on other events taking place at the same time.
 
Celtic to consider the possibility of Celtic Phone In and update on decision: This has been given consideration by the Multimedia Team who have advised that they do not see this as being something we could launch in the short term.
 
Celtic to review ticket allocation process and incorporate any changes in time for 2014/15: No changes planned for next season.
 
Celtic to continue with Safe Standing application and update supporters on progress: A meeting took place at Celtic Park on Wednesday, June 11 at which time the SAG rejected Celtic’s proposal.  The decision by GCC, SAG was based on the fact that they were unconvinced of the case put forward by the Club in terms of the match day management plan.
 

This focussed on:
 
·         Access control
·         Overcrowding
·         Supporter Migration
·         Supporter Behaviour
 
It was also considered that more information was required relative to physical barriers and the SAG were unsure/unclear of the access and egress procedures and times within the proposed section for Police and Emergency Services.
 
In order that we may bring the issue back to the table we have been asked to conduct further research into each of these areas and present a more robust case which provides comfort to the SAG that the measures proposed will prove to be adequate.  This is something that the Club will be working on with a view to continuing our plans to bring safe standing to Celtic Park.
 
Celtic to consider Student prices for 2014/15 Season: £199 Student Price has now been introduced for Students in Full Time Education.
 
Celtic to consider loyalty rewards for long standing Season Ticket holders from 2014/15: This began with our 8 oldest ST Holders being invited to the Dundee Utd match with full hospitality.  It is planned that we will continue with similar gestures next season.
 
Celtic to make decision on Stadium Catering for 2014/15 and update supporters: Final Decision to be agreed.

 When you’ve read and understood this information, you’ll probably have to swallow it. And don’t tell anyone where yo got it from.

In all fairness to the club, they are at least trying to address supporters concerns. which is a start, and some of the ideas above make sense.

So, well done, keep it up.

The start of the World Cup means that anyone with a bit of bad news took yesterday as a chance to deliver it, and hope nobody noticed.

Struggling Ibrox offshoot Second Rangers told anyone who wasn’t looking elsewhere that they had sold “approximately ” 17,000 season books for the upcoming assault on the First Division, recognised by many experts as the most competitve league in the world.

 Despite stepping up to a full time league for the first time in their short, yet colourful history, their  support has decided en masse ( that means in mass, well, we can tell them that ) not to bother with the latest leg of the journey, because they might be feeling that the club won’t actually complete it.

 At this rate, they might not even start it.

 Ronnie Deila has yet to appoint his number two, with John Collins still the favourite. Fans favourite Tommy Boyd agrees, as he told the Record;

“Knowing John as a former team-mate and having roomed with him for many years, I appreciate what he can offer.

“I know what he is like as a person and what he was like as a player. He only wants the best – and he’d definitely only want the best for Celtic.

“I see he has also been linked with the Hibs job so we’ll see whether he wants to be his own man again or whether he feels he can work with Ronny.

“I don’t know what Ronny’s approach will be to training.

“Martin O’Neill was more of an overseer while Wim Jansen and Tommy Burns were complete hands-on managers.

“Ronny’s style will be one or the other. He’ll take full control or he’ll stand back and allow his assistant to take a lot of the work.

“Ronny has never worked here before so it will take time for him to get to know the people and players at the club.

“Someone who has been at Celtic before and still knows a few folk here knows the quality of the players and the style of play can only be very useful for Ronny.

“John can be the link to help smooth things at the start.

Going to have to stop you there, Tommy. John Collins has never been noted for his ability to smooth things over in the dressing room. What we need in the role is a quality player, someone who has supported and played for the club, who recognises the clubs charitable foundations, and is held in high esteem by both the support and the players for his contributions on and off the field. 

 He must also be a good communicator, not afraid to speak his mind, and be able to provide a both barrier and a link between the manager and the players. 

 Can anyone think of anybody ?

One person looking forward to the new season is Teemu Pukki, who started to settle in the latter part of last term.

” It’s a big thing that the manager wants to play attacking football. As a striker you always hope for a manager like that.” 

“Getting the chance to play in a pre-season with Celtic is a great incentive for me and should make things a little easier for me this year,” said former Schalke striker, who missed out on the warm-up games last term after his late move from Germany.

“I felt good towards the end of the season and was scoring goals and got more confidence in my play. I was playing well otherwise, so this was good for me as it showed what I’m capable of.

“The first year with Celtic has been one of adapting for me. A lot has been different for me over the last year but the end of the season was good and I found it easier to play.”

 If Deila, who has gone very quiet since he got the job, having presumably just run out of words, can get the best out of the promising Finn, then we may have found ourselves a new partnership , along with the new mature Tony watt, who is also looking forward to playing under the new boss.

and that should make someone happy.

 Meanwhile, away from football, scientists in the middle east have discovered that humans can pick up the coronavirus from camels. Of course, up in the north east , they’ve known for years you can catch something from a humped animal.

Roger Milla, 42, and Norman Whiteside , 17, are the oldest and youngest players to appear at the World cup finals.

Which team has made the most appearances ?