With the glory of Europe behind them, celtic return to bread and butter league business against surprise nearly table toppers Hamilton Athletic, which are another two words you don’t often see in the same sentence.
Come to think of it, bread and butter is another phrase which has come to the fore this week, as the recent salmonella scare at Celtic Park means fans are advised to pack sandwiches as an alternative for half time.
A Salmonella outbreak in the Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Highland areas has been linked to hospitality at Celtic Park.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) said 11 people who had eaten at the stadium on 21 September, the day Celtic played Motherwell, had fallen ill.
The health board said all 11 cases were recovering in the community.
Environmental health teams are content with food production within Celtic Park kitchen and the investigation is focusing on external suppliers.
Dr Gillian Penrice, lead consultant in public health medicine at NHS GGC, said: “The incubation period for salmonella is usually between 24 to 72 hours, meaning that the likelihood of any new cases linked to this situation is small.
Perhaps if they paid a living wage they would get staff who know how to cook. And who give a toss about what they serve up. Still, it was in the hospitality suites, so it won’t affect real fans.
“All 11 cases are recovering at home and our investigations into the source are continuing.
“I would stress however that this appears to have been an isolated cluster of cases, that there is no ongoing risk to customers and that we are satisfied with the food handling and hygiene at Celtic Park.”
Guess it helps to have mates on the council.
Salmonella is no laughing matter. Many years ago, a dodgy chicken sandwich or two at a party left me sprinting from Buchanan Bus station in Glasgow to central stations old toilets where the resulting explosion caused the Gourock dunoon ferry to cancel sailings for a fortnight.
As for myself, it actually ended up with me losing two stones in weight, so to be fair, with the onset of middle age , I might just book into hospitality for the next game I go to.
One or two of my shirts are getting a little tight under the arms.
I won’t be at tomorrows game, we’re away tonight to the middle of Wales for a wee break to celebrate-is that the right word-our anniversary, and for some reason she didn’t fancy a trip to Glasgow instead.
John Guidetti is back in contention for a place in the side, which means anthony Stokes will move out to the left or right, or both. Noticably against Zagreb, the two wide players switched wings late on, which showed a flexibility with the management that is completely new to Celtic.
Thankfully, dundee United lost 2-0 at Kilmarnock last night, which means the hoops don’t quite need snookers yet, but a glance at the table shows how important a win is tomorrow.
| 1 | Dundee Utd | 9 | 6 | 19 |
| 2 | Hamilton | 8 | 10 | 17 |
| 3 | Kilmarnock | 9 | 5 | 17 |
| 4 | Inverness | 8 | 5 | 16 |
| 5 | Celtic | 7 | 9 | 14 |
| 6 | Aberdeen | 8 | 3 | 13 |
| 7 | Dundee | 8 | -2 | 10 |
| 8 | St J’stone | 8 | -5 | 9 |
| 9 | Partick | 7 | -1 | 7 |
| 10 | Motherwell | 8 | -8 | 7 |
| 11 | St Mirren | 8 | -8 | 4 |
| 12 | Ross Co | 8 | -14 | 3 |
Although all the teams above Celtic will drop points between now and May, its certainly not a foregone conclusion that we won’t, which means we’ve got the competitive league we wanted, and perhaps a longing for the days when we only had the one team to worry about.
The players are queuing up to praise Ronny Deilas training methods, and it looks like the recent run of wins has even made supporters think that finally, the team is going places;
Virgil van Dijk, for instance;
“It’s good for us all – after all it’s not something that makes you worse or anything else.
“He wants to make us better players, wants to get everything out of us and that’s a good sign.
“He is also busy trying to win games and that is the most important thing in football but if you play at the highest level then you should look into it.
“If you want to play at the highest level and get everything out of yourself then of course you need to do what it takes.
“Diet and fitness are important. They belong there.
“It’s his opinion and everyone can have their opinion. He’s the gaffer and he wants us to do it. That’s his right and it will only make us better human beings and better players. We will see how things go.”
Ronny returned the compliment when he was asked about the Dutchman;
“I cannot see his weaknesses. He’s quick, he’s strong, he’s good on the ball, he’s calm, he reads the play well, he’s good in the air.
“You name it, he has everything. Yes. He is the perfect defender. He has to step up every day and go to training to get even better but he is improving all the time.
“Virgil looks fit and sharp and, for me, I hope that when he does leave Celtic he goes to a top, top international club.
“I don’t have so much experience of those things but, in my opinion, if he gets consistency in his play and is even more disciplined in his structure, we’re talking about a player who could win the Champions League.
“That’s the goal but, of course, I want to keep him here as he’s a vital player for us.”
Then Efe Ambrose weighed in with his tuppence worth;
“From the start it was a hard change because it’s not been easy playing the way he wants us to play.
“But hard work pays at the end, so we are working hard and I believe we will soon start to reap the reward of what he is trying to bring into Celtic.
“I think we are getting used to it and getting better. The level he wants us to play is very high but I feel in a few months we will be there. If you are not fit you cannot play at the level he wants us to play at.
“You know you can press but when it gets to 80, 90 minutes, it tells. But that is when you show the extra spirit and everything you have got to keep on fighting.
“We never give up. That is what he has brought into us. We will make sure we fight on for 90 minutes the way he wants us to play.”
“It will take a little bit of time but we know he has a plan and his ambition for the club is good.
“He is trying to bring a new style into our game, which is different for us, but every manager has his own game plan and tactics.
“As players we just have to give him maximum co-operation, work hard in training and improve on every section of training, because that is where you learn and that is what you put into the game.”
Reading between the lines here, it looks like the players are beginning to feel the benefits of the changes in training and diet. And, that , of course, will make them more receptive to his ideas. I’m still not convinced entirley, but for the first time this season, I can now see what he is trying to do. and i can se that it might actually be working.
Told you I was fickle.
Maybe it will be a memorable season after all. I always thought it would be. Though perhaps a different sort of memorable, granted, but i choose my words carefully.
A win tomorrow would mean the spring in our steps could reach Olympic standards, but it won’t be easy. Hamilton are doing very well, and Ronny has nothing but praise for the club.
“Hamilton have come up and they’ve done well and have a lot of fight for each other. They like to play, want to play and they have taken that energy and confidence into the top division and they are getting points.
“We need to be on top with attitude and intensity and then get tempo in everything we do and open them up to win the game.”
“I’m looking forward to the game. We are on a good roll now in these games without a loss and we’ll try to keep that as long as possible.
“I see signs in the team that excite me with the pressing and the full-backs coming forward and creating things on the sides. We just need to do it for longer periods and Sunday is another opportunity to create and improve more.
“There may be changes to the team but not as much as we have done before.”
He’s learning….
Maybe its me, being someone who is resistant to change. In fact, if I had a pound for everyone who has told me that, i’d have three hundred and fifty shillings by now
The game against Kilmarnock on October 26 has also been moved forward to 1pm. The club maintain they have consulted supporters and are doing it so we-honest, they said we, and not them-can get home earlier.
Maybe Leigh Griffiths has probation on Sunday nights.
They never learn.
Season ticket sales, already down, will be at rock bottom next year. See tonight, for instance, i’ve booked a restuarant for 6.30. If they rang me and told me last night that I had to be there for 4.30, i wouldn’t go. In fact, I wouldn’t go again.
The buy one get one free offers are all well and good, but if you can’t get there it makes no difference. And it annoys the hell out of season book holders, who will be tempted to wait next summer and see what other deals are on the table for individual games. The whole set up needs to be looked at. If Lawwell thinks the emergence of Second Rangers into the Premier League will solve all the problems, he might do well to think again.
Thats if (a) they actually get promoted, and (b) they don’t go under.
The old picture in Wednesdays diary was of a Scotland England game at Celtic Park in the 1890s.
More of an appeal than a quiz this time, what is going on here ?
The big celtic news today is that Jim mc guiness has resigned as manager of donegal. He’s now focused on his celtic fitness role. This is great news. This man has trained all over the world on different sports, nfl aussie rules to name a few. Trust me guys this guy is a huge bonus to celtic. Hail hail.
Hey guys my comments got deleted 🙁
Jus posted that Jim mc guiness resigning as donegal manager is big celtic news today. Great to here he’s fully involved in his celtic post now. Hail hail
Is that Keith Lemmon and Bruce Springsteen having an Old Firm pillow fight on Bobo Balde’s cock?
LOL! bravo sir. comment o the week
Class comment
“Salmonella is no laughing matter. Many years ago, a dodgy chicken sandwich or two at a party left me sprinting from Buchanan Bus station in Glasgow to central stations old toilets where the resulting explosion caused the Gourock dunoon ferry to cancel sailings for a fortnight.”
That explains the Submarine Crash mystery a few years back!
Dodgy Radars my arse…
Picture Quiz:
Keith Lemmon and Tam Selleck giving it laldy on Bobo’s Cock during It’s A Cockout Old Firm Special a few years back.
First sentence of the Diary – Hamilton Athletic? Any relation to Hamilton Academical?
Schoolboy error. Don’t even know where that came from.
The player looked knackered towards the end of the game on thursday,brown was treading water,don,t remember that during the last few years we seemed much fitter than under the new regime,too much training can drain you players do need a rest to recover,this training fitness rubbish is just to cover up the players lack of ability,especially some of the new one,s like his boyfriend Berget
According to that theory I should be getting a game cos I;m well rested having sat on my arse for the past 20 years.
You’re right that we fade the last 15 mins of both the first and second halfs but that’s due to lack of fitness and stamina not over training.
Celtic now employ sports scientists to monitor each players fitness and output levels. Gone are the days when the players were told to just run up and down sand dunes
Nowadays they constantly monitor what’s called VO2 max, which is something to do with the maximum oxygen consumption of a player. The higher that level, the fitter you are and the greater the stamina.
Top athletes that over train tend to get muscle strains rather than fade in performance.
FFS Brown’s just back not layer in ages
Looks like someones getting a prostate exam …
Think that’s Celtic’s new laon signing. He’s a ploe.
That would be loan and pole, fingers faster than my brain.
Ralph the diary is becoming very educational. You seem to have picked up a few clever guys along the way VO2 Max and all the sports science stuff.
I am beginning to change my opinion about Ronnie and I know I am also a fickle kind of guy but lets hope the plan is indeed coming together.
Good diary as always, keep up the good work. By the way when it was my wedding anniversary I booked a table the wife was pissed off because she does not play snooker any more.
HH Keep the faith
As a student of sports science with a degree in the subject you cannot underestimate it’s importance in modern day sport, I was taught by some great people involved in bio mechanics with athletes such as scottish rugby players and Olympians, they were brought in to change angles , kicking style etc etc in order to get maximum performance. It works!
It might make a ten percent difference , but when it comes to it that ten percent makes you better than your opponents and that can only be a good thing. Fitness is one of the most important things in football now , anyone who doesn’t believe it watch a video on youtube with Ronaldo doing some tests, you will see a true athlete. Got to laugh at the likes of john hart son today saying I had curries and beers and still scored 25 goals. I remember going to games and shouting in frustration at hartson for being slow and lazy, aye he was a great player but just think how good he could have been if he was faster and fitter.
I think what ronny is doing is great , for two long we have looked at the fitness and diet of foreign players and thought why can’t we be like that! Reckon the objectors are just old school players set in their ways, all the guys trying to do is bring celtic. Up to speed with European players give it a chance and we might just see the benefits. Hail hail
All for improving fitness and diet, might well be worth the 10% mentioned previously. However, don’t underestimate morale, a happy team will perform better than a miserable one so a little flexibility on the food front would be a decent compromise.
the players haven’t come out and said they are unhappy with the diet / exercise regime (normally the DR would have a quote from someone close to the players)- maybe they have bought into it and are just getting used to the change?
I can’t understand how anyone can criticise a manager for attempting to get his team fitter – we should expect nothing less.
Food poisoning is no laughing matter. I know a guy who died after eating jazz records by Sammy Davis Jr. & Ella Fitzgerald. Cause of death :- Sam n Ella disease.
I’ll get my coat.
Ralph , did you not read the content of your own blog? The problem lies with the contractor away from Celtic Park. What has the payment of the Living Wage got to do with Celtic in this context ?
There are enough people out there too willing to have a go read the letters in The Scotsman we don’t need this from within . Really disappointed with your comments on this.
Henrik Larsson was a big fan of chips during a game?
According to Stefan Klos that is…
Yes,fitness is all well and good.
Take Agathe,for example.He would give ANY player,including
European’s finest teams,a 10 YARD start,would then pass
them,but couldn’t CROSS A BALL.
If players don’t have the skill or game knowledge,then fitness
means hee haw.
Ralph,a memorable season,includes playing in the Champions
League groups,at least.Alas,even with a Treble,this won’t be a memorable season.
Winning the Europa Cup at Legia’s ground would work for me.
The final is not in Legia’s ground, it’s in the Stadion Narodowy, nearly twice the size of Legia’s ground………….. anyway, no feckin chance of that.
Corrected.
thought VO2 was a shampoo,been using it for years…still a lazy shit!!
Celt 125,
Yes,I agree,that would be memorable,and dangerous,at the same time.But, the realist,in me,considers such a scenario,as a no-goer.The quality of teams in the Europa are superior to us.And I dare say,FITTER !!
The point I was trying to make was that despite that being a possibility some here have already decided that no matter what we achieve this season it isnae gonnae be good enough!
Celt 125,
I know where your coming from.I have never been one for making early judgements about managers/coaches.But,since Maribor home game,I have real fears about Deila.
Today,was worrying.However,Deila was happy chances were created.Our tactics in second half,was mostly, get ball out to Efe,for a hopeful cross ?
I admire your confidence,Celt 125,if you are also,not worried,
after today’s game.
I don’t hold even the slightest thought that we will win the Europa league (I know anything is possible, but reckon it would take about 10 miracles for us to do this).
Anyway, my understanding is that the winners automatically qualify for next season’s CL group stages – is this correct?
And, if it is, would this mean that the team who finish second in the SPL(I am assuming we will win it)would get a chance at the CL?
Whoa! Haud yer cuddies! Beating Hamilton today would be enough for me at the moment! Winning the Europa League? Right now, impossible, unless this team shows they will never struggle again against Inverness, Dundee or Motherwell.
(Devoy goes away to place £20 quid on us winning the Europa League)
After today’s performance against accies. Time for jokes is over Ronny and Collins must go.
Billy Bremner in the Celtic top having a go at Davie Cooper.Must have been before he left the Raploch.He disnae look very fit. The Viking is certainly making it a very open league.
Comment search please!!!
No comments found when i searched Im afraid
And yet there it is below..!
..
It’s all very well agreeing that what Deila SAYS is good but can we get a Celtic manager that can make players fitter AND beat teams like Motherwell and Hamilton at home? We surely don’t have to put up with these terrible results and naive performances to make players fitter? He’s made the team 50% worse in order to make them 10% fitter. Anyway fitness is not the problem – its nothing to do with the real issue which is poor coaching and managing. Constantly inflexible, never seen a more disjointed team, few if any real tactics, almost no analysis of the opposition either beforehand or during the match, easy to defend against and easy to score into. Reeks of Barnes and worse than Mowbray. We’re not so much going in the wrong direction – there is no direction!
Yes players have to fitter. Let’s say everyone agrees with that, and we reach the point where all players at peak/ maximum fitness…. then what? He’s still a manager out of his depth! what positive signs are there that this is going to work out? He’ll still have his ‘philosophy’, and all the deficiencies in our team will still be there. More fitness will not compensate for all our many weaknesses I’m afraid.
One step forward,and now two back for Ronny’s revolution.
But,hey,Ronny is not worried,as we created chances.That’s right
at home against Hamilton,ffs.
Well,he was talking about needing more points in the Europa.
First and foremost,league points is HIS priority.
We now have a LONG 2 weeks,before we play away to Ross County,which is a MUST WIN for Deila.
Taxi for Ronnie. NOW please!!
I’ve said from the off, this duo is not Celtic Management material…that’s it!!
Hail,Hail
I grew up with Popeye cartoons once we got a telly. After today if can only quote the pop-eyed sailor:
“That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more.”
Bye, bye Ronny and Johnny, maybe you can buy a gym together and keep body mass index charts?
Losing at home to Hamilton last happened when war broke out in 1939.
Seriously,I now can’t see any team in the SPL that we are guaranteed to beat. Last season we dropped 15 points. This year we have already dropped 10. Our unfit players beat Barca and AC Milan in recent seasons.
Anyone on this forum could have done better than this.
Sorry Ronny, face it: you’re not good enough to manage Celtic.
Lawwell and Desmond, what is your plan B after your low cal duo have let us down? I expect Deila to resign during this next fortnight and Collins can go with him.
Will anyone on this forum dare defend what went on today? If so, when is enough enough?
A team that performed like ours did last year is NOT an experiment or work in progress.
Wasn’t at the game so will rely on those more informed to discuss how we played (or didn’t).
Last season (where memories seem to recall an all conquering, free flowing, beautiful style of football the Celtic Way) were we not struggling with the pack until the end of European ties and then, and only then, did we start putting consecutive wins together and created the lead that we sailed through to the end of the season. I’m sure the points tally this year is worse but in a transition year should this not be expected?
Comment gone, ah well would have probably been ripped anyway.
Searched but nothing found for Saturdays Diary bar “Comments gone” post.
Its WordPress gremlins yet again, shoudl be once a persn gets first post approved, theres nothing to stop all subsequent posts but sadly the filter seems to have a mind of its own.
Desi,
The filter and Deila have something in common,then.
Ralph’s diary should be interesting today.I hope he shows the league
table again.
It turned up so no probs, lively debate expected today after another poor result.
Well if this continues Celtic will need to play their games at Lennoxtown. A one horse race has been turned into the fucking Grand National.
Keynes: “In the long run we are aa deid”. How much time does Deila think he has? After Ross County, he will be gone.
Liam Brady, Lou Macari, John Barnes/Dalglsh, Venglos, Mowbray, now Ronny and Johnny. It was a shame it didn’t work out. They have a good diet in Norway and I bet the people are fitter than we are and wee teams there are allowed to play one up front and draw away from home.
Hamilton last won at Parkhead in 1938! Deila is making history.
I think we could win the League without a manager.
But who’s next?
Is there anybody on this forum who still thinks Deila is good enough to manage Celtic Football Club?
Hartley or Macnamara?