Dear Ronny
Just fuck off
Signed
Ralph Malph.
Picture suggested by Devoy, in Saturdays replies. Its very apt.
I had a great weekend, well, Saturday .
I toddled off to Betws y coed , in the middle of a Welsh valley, great restaurant, great hotel, and hardly thought about the football at all.
It actually cost me less than going to the game, when you factor in refreshments. And guess what, the restaurant didn’t even alter the time of my booking so that I could get away earlier. In fact, afterwards, they asked me if everything was to my satisfaction. Jeez, if you were asked that after the game on Sunday your mates would batter you for keeping the bus waiting and making them miss work on Monday.
Going into the break, Celtic now lie sixth in the league table, which many people still think is a one horse race. Trouble is, the horse is sick. And its the jockey who is wearing blinkers.
Shall we have a look at the table. No, lets look at one we made earlier, instead.
Back in May, in fact.
| Final Table | Full | Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pt | ||||||||
| 1 | Celtic | 38 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 102 | 25 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 52 | 15 | +77 | 99 | ||||||
| 2 | Motherwell | 38 | 22 | 4 | 12 | 64 | 60 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 39 | 29 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 25 | 31 | +4 | 70 | ||||||
| 3 | Aberdeen | 38 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 38 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 33 | 25 | +15 | 68 | ||||||
| 4 | Dundee United | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 65 | 50 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 40 | 23 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 25 | 27 | +15 | 58 | ||||||
| 5 | Inverness CT | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 44 | 44 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 26 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 0 | 57 | ||||||
| 6 | St Johnstone | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 48 | 42 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 35 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 26 | +6 | 53 | ||||||
| 7 | Ross County | 38 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 44 | 62 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 25 | 29 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 19 | 33 | -18 | 40 | ||||||
| 8 | St Mirren | 38 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 39 | 58 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 38 | -19 | 39 | ||||||
| 9 | Kilmarnock | 38 | 11 | 6 | 21 | 45 | 66 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 25 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 20 | 36 | -21 | 39 | ||||||
| 10 | Partick Thistle | 38 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 46 | 65 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 37 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 25 | 28 | -19 | 38 | ||||||
| 11 | Hibernian | 38 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 31 | 51 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 22 | -20 | 35 | ||||||
| 12 | Heart of Midlothian | 38 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 45 | 65 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 29 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 36 | -20 | 23 | ||||||
Now lets look at it this morning…. no lets not.
Siting in sixth place is all we need to know. Just four months after winning the league by twenty nine points, with thirty one wins, six draws and one defeat, it seems that there are one or two problems at Celtic Park.
Since the summer, Fraser Forster has left, and he has been replaced by a keeper of similar quality. A few players , who hardly featured, have gone out on loan. The team, on paper at least, has been strengthened with the emergence of Calum MacGregor , arguably a more than decent replacement for the erratic Georgios Samaras, the purchase of Stefan Scepovic, and a number of loanees to make the numbers up.
Oh, and we got a new management team.
Its hard to believe that the side who got results against Red Bull Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb could fail to perform against the likes of Hamilton-no disrespect to them, they are at the top of the league on merit- Motherwell, Inverness, Dundee and so on.
Hard to believe but its happened. And we all have our theories as to the reason, which usually revolve around the new managers systems on the field, and fitness kick off it.
I’m going to suggest its a lot simpler than that.
The players don’t want to play for them.
Thats why they are now performing in Europe, and leaving the league for a late surge , which shouldn’t be beyond them, under a new manager,
There cannot be any other reason.
Henrik Larsson will be available in November, which is when the AGM takes place. Deila might well turn out to be a good coach , with a great new vision. but he won’t be doing it at Celtic.
You may have noticed that the Diary mood can be a little extreme in its views, when the going is good, its very good, and when its bad its awful.
And right now, its pretty bad.
The decision to move the kick off forward to 1pm had a detrimental effect on the crowd, although a few did turn up after the Great Scottish Fun run finished. 42,000 was the official crowd, but I think they counted them on the way out as well.
After the debacle on Saturday, where Celtic had two hundred shots on goal as usual, failing to convert any of them, Ronny Deila said he wasn’t worried, which made him unique amongst those who had seen the game;
“With so many chances you should win, no question. We had 10-15 chances.
“We know it’s about taking chances and getting results and today was just a very tough day at work. I’m very disappointed, the players are as well.
“Now we have 13 days off. I would rather we had a game on Wednesday but now we have 13 days to prepare to bounce back against Ross County.
“I understand the fans booing at full-time. We must win games and today we didn’t.
“But I’m not worried at all. I think we’re progressing again. When you have 10 to 15 chances, you have played quite well.
“We got the full-backs more into the attack, we got more set-plays, more crosses.
“But of course you need to put the ball in the net. We need that determination to really want to get that ball into the net.
“It was too sloppy. The runs into the box weren’t powerful enough. We needed more accuracy and determination.
“To lose at home is not something we want. But in football these things happen. We just have to bounce back.
“We are still in every competition with opportunities to have a very good season.”
Ronny says we are progressing. Look at the league table four months ago, and look at the one today. If I was ill in the hospital and was told I was progressing at the same rate as Celtic, I’d be on the internet looking for flights to Switzerland.
Perhaps he is comparing us to his old club, and thinks that being better than them is an improvement.
Scott Brown, the captain and therefore the link between players and management, put on his management head, and accused players of going missing, and hiding. They probably don’t want to be picked. The pre match meal is Muesli and coconut juice.
“People were just hiding and it was disappointing to see and to play in.
“I take my share of the blame as well. I’m not laying the blame at everybody else because we’re all in this together as a team.
“I’m devastated. I don’t do getting beat. I came to Celtic to win games and we’re not winning games and performing just now and I don’t know why that is.
“I understand the fans’ frustrations. Their frustrations are my own frustrations. Everyone in that dressing room should be devastated with that result.
“We are just not doing it as a team and as individuals. We are just waiting for somebody like Kris to score a wonder goal from 30 yards and then we are all happy but that doesn’t happen every week.
“It’s almost two years since we’d lost at home and we wanted to keep that run going but we didn’t do ourselves justice.
“I don’t know why we never got going. I’d love to tell you. I’d be a great manager if I knew that.
“It looked like we had given up fighting, we were second to balls, we didn’t have enough up front and it just wasn’t good to watch.
“We tried to play but Hamilton pressed us high up the pitch and teams don’t do that at Celtic Park.
“We should be pressing teams high up the park. At the end of the day we weren’t good enough. We missed a few chances but we didn’t deserve anything.”
The rigidity of Deilas system means that once the opposition learns how to deal with it, Celtic are finished. god help us when we play teams for the second time this season, and I wonder if the SPFL will change the rules to keep us in the top flight.
A national newspaper, somewhat gleefully, one thinks, to ask supporters where they think celtic will finish this season, only 64% of those who replied think the hoops will win the league, and a lot of the other votes have been traced to a village called Lennoxtown.
Deilas mentality is all wrong. He appears to be happy with this shite, calling it progress. Theres the problem, and there is only one solution.
Before anyone starts with the “you’ve always had it in for him ” line, you’re probably right. Not for any other reason than his ineptitude, though, and i have leapt on any hope, however small, that he could turn things around.
Its finally out there for all to see. In professional management circles, there is a word for it.
He’s a diddy.
And if the day looks gloomy already, after the break , andy Walker will tell a Sky tv audience where Ronny is going wrong.
Fuck that. I’m going to watch a film on the nollywood channel. Its called Painful Madness, which seems kind of familiar….
By the way, the Lennon CSC , North Staffs and Cheshire, is holding its monthly meeting at the Holy Trinity club in Newcastle Under Lyme tonight, at around 8pm.
We will be planning next months trips to the game, and holding a though provoking and intelligent discussion on the month just gone.
You are more than welcome to attend, and it promises to be a barrel of laughs.
After Celtic’s latest defeat where do you think they will finish in this season’s Premiership?
Share the vote
After Celtic’s latest defeat where do you think they will finish in this season’s Premiership?
Share the vote
Any stattos out there got info on Celtics performances post European games over last few years?
I just knew we wouldnt get a result on Sunday..How you may ask?, Well let me tell you..
Every time Ally McCoist is under intense pressure and the spotlight turns upon him…Celtic always fuck up and reclaim the headlines and media focus…its uncanny…its like Peter Lawwell is ensuring the Bakers friends survival!.
16 shots on goal and only 7 on target. We do need Larrson…get him playing up front or coaching our mis-firing four!
Im still with Ronnie though, change is tough and change is often ugly…theres a reason all those folk who get plastic surgery need bandages! He put a team on the park yesterday to win that game and as Skoosh says, they should take a good look at themselves for failing to win it.
Desi,
Statto here,my memory is playing tricks with me,a bit like Deila’s mind at present.I said we won every game after European games.Not quite,just checked,8 wins and 1 draw.With one of the wins,being the 7-0,humiliation of the jam farts.
I must do better,a bit like Ronny !!
Players must take blame for results. Jock Stein and Bill Shankly said “once they cross the white line..” But cannot defend Delia in his support in picking Stokes. Guy not good enough . Maybe he has an impersonators complex. He is doing a good one of a football player! Over hit passes,under hit passes, corner kicks and 2 headers yesterday …enough said!
Ralph, Deila is not only a diddy, but a complete and utter dud.Why is there still support for this imposter?? Do you have any understanding of what has been foisted upon us? This guy is beyond being out of his depth. Sure he won a championship in Norway, but that league is considerably weaker than our own.He also flirted with relegation in that very same poxy league. His inability to communicate, inspire and show any form of tactical awareness is screaming at us and we will continue to regress (as the players have done) under this individuals leadership (or lack of it).
http://www.celtic-mad.co.uk/head_to_head/celtic/vs/rosenborg_bk/index.shtml
I agree with you again Desi Mond. I’m still backing Deila as well.
1) We regulalry drop points after a European game, we have done for years.
2) We created plenty of chances; if the strikers had stuck just one away we would probably have gone on to win it. Sometimes you just get days like that.
3) Interesting quote from Scott Brown “We are just waiting for somebody like Kris to score a wonder goal from 30 yards” – that is basically what we did with every poor performance under Lennon, and there were a few: just waited for Commons to save us with a long range shot even when we played poorly the rest of the game. Commons is poor this season, so he’s not saving us with a bit of magic. Deila doesn’t want to put a team out on the park with just one or two star players (at SPL standard) who will save us despite poor performances. He wants to change the entire way we play so all 11 players are involved in beating the opposition. It’s a fundamental change to what the team are used to and will take time.
We’ve got a choice here….we can go back to what we’re used to, which is Celtic outspending the rest of SPL and more often than not hump the other SPL teams and win the league comfortably by playing a slightly better quality of SPL football than the rest. In Europe we can get regularly outplayed by teams with better technique and fitness but every so often we punch above our weight and get a result……..OR we can buy into this new approach where we fundamentally change our set-up, we focus on technique, fitness and “European” style tactics, so that we close the gap between the overall quality between us and other major European teams. It won’t be easy, it’s a huge change and it will have plenty of set backs….but if we get it right then we’ve moved out of the dark ages of the Scottish football approach which has been left light years behind the rest of world football.
I think it’s worth the risk of losing some ground in the SPL to take the chance to get it right. Does winning the SPL by a record number of points really mean that much to people that you’re not willing to take a chance to get a far better improvement long term?
Martin, i agree entirely with what you are saying in relation to how we progress as a team taking in to account the need to improve within the European environment. My own view is that we stick with RD and replace his number 2. JC contributes very little and merely appears to re-state the views of RD and this does not appear to translate to the players and increasingly to the support. A pragmatic communicator is required who the players can relate to and someone who can both support and respectfully challenge how RD is going about his business. Chris Sutton is someone who could handle both the players and is mmedia savy.
Brilliant!
Well said, Martin. We can review things only after a full season. Some clowns think they can make judgements after giving up a throw-in.
Martin,
Check point 1) for last season.You are factually incorrect.
The lack or support showed what the fans believe, this is a kaibosh by Lawell and his pal who pulls the strings Desmond. You blame Delilah, and Collins, that’s a fair point, but the players are as much to blame. We are playing a form of tica taca football that goes nowhere.
Yesterday we lacked pace and forward movement, possibly Mathews, Lustig or Forrest could add that. This would only be a sticking plaster, the real problem being the biscuit tin mentality still obvious at Parkheid by the high heidyins.
If you do not speculate you go backwards and since the demise of the zombies the board are doing their best,have they really lost the plot, do they believe that fans especially in the present economy will. Continu constantly to dig into their pockets for mediocrity!
Excellent and honest diary,Ralph.
Desi,last year we won every game,after European games.
As much as we keep having faith in Deila,there are TOO many worrying signs.
So,he’s not worried,losing at home,to Hamilton,as we created chances ? FFS Ronny
get a grip of reality.Your captain is devastated with that result.Do you talk to each other ?
Did Deila’s cunning plan,have yesterday’s performance, as a mere blip ?
He is now telling us,he has bouncebackability ?
Lenny brought the thunder back to Celtic Park.Deila has given us PLUNDER at Celtic
Park.First,Maribor,now fecking Accies,who’s next……
Sorry,my patience has ran out with Deila.When the coach is not on the same wavelength with his captain,then we HAVE MAJOR PROPLEMS.Let alone his rigid system,team shape,full backs as wingers etc.
Will it take a demonstration in the Celtic Way,before Lawwell acts ?
Deila’s tea is out,chips are optional !!
When the coach is not on the same wavelength with his captain..Where did you get that fae?
Celt 125,
Self-explanatory.2 different mindsets.Broony is devastated with
a shameful defeat at Celtic Park.Yet,Deila,in his words,is NOT WORRIED.
Thought you would have seen that,Celt 125 !!
Yes I agree with the majority of your article but the real culprits are the board with their biscuit tin mentality. The team cries out for a Joe Ledley or a Lustig and Mathews to give some drive, Broony cannot do it himself. Delia is not to blame he is the patsy brought in to cover for Lawell and Desmond penny pinching. They are treating the support with disrespect and if this continues they will have a stadium where they will not have supporters. Onwards and downwards, the new motto of the board!
Is it the Board’s fault that Lustig and Matthews are injured? I liked Ledley and was sorry to see him go but I think Johansen is doing well as a replacement.
Martin… Fact, Lustig and Matthews have been fit for the last couple of weeks, you wouldn’t believe why he hasn’t played them.The guy needs to fuck off asap.
None of the shilly shallying now….spill the beans?
Were they caught eating rolls n chips down the village?
No, but, I wouldn’t want to play for this clown with what he told them.
Andy, I presume you have been attending the training sessions at Lennoxtown and are privy to the fitness reports.
Martin, it’s all very well saying that we have to improve our technique to improve our quality of ball posession after all if you don’t have the ball whats the use of playing? However, Celtic were not playing a major european team. It was Hamilton Accies playing us at Celtic Park for God’s sake. A competitive league is what we all crave and it’s good to see the other teams having a go but I don’t think under Ronny Deila that the Tic are going to get better. He doesn’t have much more time to prove to the support that he has what it takes, he talks a great game, we all can after a few sherbets, but I think his time will soon be up.
HH
The folk clamouring for Larsson to get the job must be on the glue. What exactly has Henrik achieved as coach that equips him so well to take the reigns at Celtic?
Christ, if we’re going to appoint him based simply on the fact he’s a club legend we may as well ask Billy McNeill if he wants the fecking job!
Aye, we are progressing. Backwards.
Last year we set a record for clean sheets. This year we will, unfortunately, do the same …
Fur Fucks sake will some people open their eyes tae what’s really happening with CELTIC, the manager is clueless both in his inability to put the strongest team on the park and then when things CLEARLY are not working, then how tae change things, is stubbornness to keep playing this ridiculous formation of 1 lone striker and 4 fekin wingers is destroying CELTIC, his obsession with getting the ball out to the wings ASAP and then lump the ball intae the box and hope somebody might get on the end is woeful, teams are happy tae let us do it because it’s so ineffective and easy to defend against, plus teams are just over running us in central midfield and attacking us straight down the middle. Ronny, your system hasn’t worked previously, isn’t working currently and won’t work in the future so please just FUCK OFF!! oh and take Johnny with you please.. HAIL HAIL, KTF+
Well said . I took San Miguel Jnr to his first game yesterday and after his awe at climbing the stairs and seeing the pitch for the first time it got steadily worse. We watched as continual passes to 4 wingers (only one of whom was actually a winger- scrub that no h’es not) were either under or over hit. A pass through the gap in the INSIDE would have caught Hamliton out, yet it wasn’t attempted.
How can we look like a team bereft of ideas and amateurish so quickly ?
Taking Guiddeti off whilst 1-0 down whilst leaving on Stokes /Commons was baffling.
Tonev is a 3rd rate Regi Blinker, Wakaso a waste of a jersey and Ambrose is not a right back or a right winger,. The sight of Van Dijk at centre forward for the last 5 minutes then Gordon coming up to snatch an equaliser says it all. The man is out his depth. He may have some good ideas but he is an assiatnt caoach at best not a Manager of a club with a £30m plus wage bill.
The question is – who would we get to replace Deila?
All this Larsson talk – great player , but what are his credentials as a manager ? Or should I say head coach . We don’t do managers any more.We have head coaches who are GIVEN a group of players most of whom were chosen by someone else. Our anonymous technical director.(Lawwell or Parks?)The Samaras case proved it was the same under Lennon.
For me , the problem , the lack of drive , the lack of direction all stems from the top. Dermot Desmond.
We know our restrictions regarding limited finances due to where we play out of ; but there’s something else missing.
There’s no-one leading this club.
I’ve stated before , we need a leader , a chief , at the top.
Lawwell’s not our leader , Desmond doesn’t want to be .
He’s not a football man and Celtic is way down on his list of priorities.
He’s content to just let us bob about on the surface, happy just to make sure we never sink.
And we won’t sink under his tenure . We won’t do a Rangers.
Perhaps that should be enough for us. I don’t know.
But we’ll also never achieve great things , because he has no interest or ambition for us to do so.
That would take up more of his time ( and money) than he is willing to give to Celtic.
So where does that leave us long term?
Are we happy with the “status quo ” or would we rather a hands on chief willing to lead us in a specific direction with specific goals, but possibly having to take bigger chances with greater risk?
jpm,
If you want a REAL football manager,as oppossed to a weak coach,then look no further than big Mick McCarthy.His Ipswich team are playing well.He would jump at the chance,to come back to Celtic,a strong personality,who doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
holy sea
I believe the hierarchy at Celtic aren’t interested in a strong proper manager . It’s all about containment . Control, if you like.
A manager wants control of signings etc . That means some financial control.
I think the man at the top likes his board to be in full control of ALL finances. He in turn, is in full control of the board.
I believe he see’s that as a way of his ensuring Celtic stay financially safe. And as I said earlier, I think that’s where his interest in Celtic begins and ends.
And he can get Daryl Murphy back scoring!
I was waiting for some wisecracker to come with that one.I didn’t think you would stoop so low,Desi.Big Mick,at least has balls,unlike Deila,who seems to be systematically,pissing off each player,one by one.
I wasnt slagging him….Murphy scored again at the weekend, against Forest away no less. I watch that Football league show and always smile when ex Celtic men do well…there was no malice in previous post.
Apologies,Desi.
Totally misread you.
To answer your replacement question, we should appoint David Moyes with immediate effect. Don’t hang around, get shot of RD & JC and let DM make the changes required within the January 2015 transfer window. He is a good football man, and park to one side the Man Utd nonsense. One day he may get his revenge and would it be good if it happened at Celtic Park in the CL vs Man Utd. Keep the Faith
Having read Roy Keanes latest comments ( available from all good book stores now!) do you think someone like Davie Moyes would even entertain Peter Lawwell and being told what he is getting, who he is getting and how much he is getting with no control or demands being heard or negotiations being entertained?
looks like the guy has lost the dressing room, the players are not performing for him and thats fact.
how he can say this is progress is beyond me and yes he may have a plan and yes it may work out in the end but jesus when.
next week, next month, next year ?
The priority is to win the league that way we can hopefully get champions league football next year but at the moment i reckon we will be in the ramsdens cup.
The guy needs help and it was well documented he was to be a number 2 to keane , we got lucky missing keane but jesus did we need to get the booby prize.
I m trying to look a but more dispassionately at the situation. Ronny reckons he can see progress, so where?
The squad –
minus Forster, Samaras, Ledley from last season’s squad, with Scepovic & Gordon only permanent signings. Denayer, Berget, Wakaso & Guidetti on loan. Its maybe a touch stronger up front, but not really much progress. Progress? – No
The team –
Our defence has been terrible this season, our midfield had been patchy and our front line has been hit and miss too – more miss
Progress? No
Tactics –
the formation with 2 wide players coming inside, two full backs pushing on and one central striker seems to me to be failing because:
when we get wide we only have one striker in the box so slinging in crosses in pointless. We can be easily attacked as both full backs are up the pitch at the same time and no one in midfield is sitting to protect the back four, so there are huge spaces to run at when the ball is turned over. We can keep the ball and go from side to side well, but dont get behind teams or cut them open through the congested central area. We also seem to bungle straight forward things like throw ins, turning the ball over very cheaply.
Progress? No
Fitness –
Ah yes, we are so rubbish now compared to last year because then the players weren’t fit and now they are. Or something. Its a red herring for me, players were fit enough last year, and are looking to me to be battered by the time match day rolls around. We start bright and run out of legs after 25 minutes and then start the second half okay after a rest and then fall off it again.
Progress? No
Manager style and presentation –
Saying things like he believes we are going tobe able to beat Barca by keeping the ball better than them had me thinking he maybe wasn’t the most realistic, and every time he gives a press conference he seems to drop some clanger, in his nice, calm, understated way.
“Its good to play European football as we get a technical challenge superior to SPFL” great way to fire up Hamilton and all the other teams as we sit in mid table – talk like this when we are miles ahead maybe.
“we are still in every competition” eh, we went out of the Champions League. Twice. But yay, we are still in the league cup and might get an “old Firm” game (can some one at the club please tell him we dont use this term any more)
” I can see progress” – I can’t
Good analysis there.
I would suggest Ronnies got a fair claim to having to play with a loaded deck considering the loanee approach and the main strikers being either unfit or ineligible or both.
Lustig and Matthews are back in training so that will hopefully help the right hand side and even give more options, if only for a limited period. James Forrest might even break free from the cotton wool one day soon.
Griffiths may get a chance now and lets all hope he takes it as its clear relying on Kris Commons is no way to survive.
I can vaguely see how Ronnie could suggest progress being seen in his own eyes but training ground results dont put points on the board.
Win game in hand and we’re only a few wins away from second place!
Flippancy CSC
Or lose the next one and you are only two games from relegation!
Sorry Ralph but your attitude is a disgace…any PLAYER that doesnt want to play for the Celtic manager….they can f**k right off. Not the manager.
Change takes time. Sacking the manager will achieve nothing at this point.
Give the man time. Your making a dick of yourself in changing sway every other day in the diary.
Keep up the good work all the same 😉
scoobs,
Just like the Mighty Accies made dicks of us !!
they beat us 1-0….its f**k all in a five-year plan!
we arent above losing to Accies, like Barca arent above losing to us. Its just a bit early to hit the panic button.
Ralph you would likely have got rid of Strachan and Lennon after their poor starts, oh and would have tried to boot Henrik out early doors as well.
Maybe you should take the advice you have suggested to RD.
Every manager brings his own system to a team. Wim played differently to MON to WGS to Lenny so no one is objecting to change. Players adapt to the new managers ideas and hopefully progress is made. The difference between those listed abouve and Ronny/Barnes/Mowbray is they were successful. There is no sign of success this time around.
can i ask of those who are giving deila there support. do you see us winning the league like this, or even getting into european competitions next seaon? its very other week hes telling us we could have won if those chances were taken. hamilton, motherwell, dundee. where does it stop. were 9 points off the leaders. do you look at being 21 points off the leaders? 30 points? the board hasnt let deila down, theyve let the fans down, by going with deila, and giving us no decent signings to chear on. crtaig gordon was on his way before deila arrived, and he was free. who else has the board or deila given us? 2 years ago lawell told us hes keeping money back for a rainy day. that day was during the last transfer window. are they hoping to get rid of deila before the next transfer window, and give the new manager (henrik) some money and hopefully improve in the league so the fans get off lawells back? are we just going to accept this? with ronnie were not progressing at all, well be lucky to get to europe after christmas. will we still be in the cups? will we be in touch in the league? yes yes we have to accept some hiccups under a new manager, but when did tony mowbray loose the dressing room and the fans? when did john barnes loose it? deila is getting away with too much, its his fault and the boards fault. i hope the daydreamers that think well still win the league under ronnie regardless of how long we regress realise its a pipe dream. wake up and cheer the team, and get on the board and the managers back afterwards. they are the ones that need to answer for this fiasco
I see us winning the league and winning it by at least 10 points. Last week I heard Hugh keevins going on about a super strong challenge from Dundee Utd and Aberdeen. Then cue united getting stuffed by Killie of all people. This will re-occur throughout the season while we find our feet and come consistency to go ahead and progress.
I fully understand the frustrations and annoyance, Im annoyed too but I still think we will win the league and suggest if there are players not backing the manager, the board back him and replace any players who arent 100% on-board with this long term plan along with alos buying the necessary quality that we lack in vital areas.
Who will the board buy to replace these players? Is Willo Flood available?
Desi I can’t help but appreciate your optimism, but where is it coming from, crystal ball, tarot cards, because it’s not from watching the games. Elcormaco’s analysis was great and factual. One point missed was this is the only tactic we play, no variety which makes teams like Hamilton accies able to grab a result. We are more predictable than rain on a fair Saturday.
I acknowledged the analysis but I still see us winning the league based on some showings within the Dundee Utd, Aberdeen and Hearts victories.
Get a right back in at right back, that also provides cover for centre halves with Efe/Denayer on bench. Izzy continues to be sole left back so heaven help us if he gets injured..Chuck as back up..no!
Midfield…only Mulgrew and James Forrest as far as I know to come back so that isnt majorly reaffirming I grant you but it also asks questions of folk like Biton and Kayal who should be kicking down the door in traning to get a start. I trust the positioning and passing will improve with more games but can still see lots of tinkering over next few months.
Up front…this is the real concern for me, 16 shots and cant beat the Hamilton keeper once and 9 shots not even on target, poor stuff and needs addressed asap?
Up front, Desi I think that Scepovic will come good, if someone will pass the ball to him. As stated by Elcormaco, no point in throwing crosses in to a sole striker, even against weaker opponents, they will out number. I really want to believe in the management team but, honestly can’t see it like you do. I watched the European game on the TV and thought to myself, we have some good players here,including Tonev, Wakaso etc, but why are they not being told to play together, and thats my point, when it comes to the manager> As for Kayal, can’t remember him having a bad game in a long while, maybe he has an addiction to Pita Bread. FK’s
Predictable diary and these days have to skim over al the quotes that I’ve already read in the papers. Give us a break Ralph you don’t need to keep bulking every diary up with miles of quotes. Stick to your own words as they are edifying (usually) and entertaining.
If the players don’t change we will never really progress in Europe or do well against non SPL opposition. Is that what you want? Winning every game against Scottish opposition but hopeless elsewhere? We’re never going to be able to buy players of real quality so we have to make the most of what we can afford and that means making them into better athletes as well as improving their skills. Seem to remember a lot of boring games under Lenny although they ended in victory. Supporters were really dissatisfied with the quality of the play. Now we have to try something different and it requires patience. Simple as that. And faith. A few defeats don’t a league lose!
IIjas,
The diary is a labour of love,for Ralph.
Would you devote time,everyday,to produce it ?
Not all of us have the time to trawl the papers for Celtic news, therefore, I go straight to the diary everyday for the latest info. I am very grateful to Ralph for providing this service which is both informative and entertaining…
Totally concur Marie.
Likewise,I don’t buy the daily dump,or the Hun.I wouldn’t give
any of these rags,the time of day.But,it’s always a good idea to
keep an eye on the enemy.Ralph provides us with excellent snippets ( apart from blueboy jackson ).
We lost to ICT 3 days after winning at Anfield with a team containing Larsson Petrov Sutton Bobo Thommo Lambert and the rest. Pissed off by the result too but Hamilton are flying and while I think Deila has and is making mistakes he deserves the season to see if he can get it right.
We lost after a game that will go down in Celtic illustrious history and progressed to the final of the Uefa cup. This is a poor attempt at justifying a home defeat against Hamilton F##king Accies, Gareth.
Agree,yestim.
Those having a cheap shot at Lenny,have short memories.The thunder,last 16,Barca triumph,were these all built on chips ? FACT.Lenny wanted to take us to next level.
He gave Liewell a list of 3 strikers,all valued around 5M,who told him the budget was their.Liewell told him John Park was dealing with it.It transpires NONE of these player’s agents was contacted.Lenny then walked.
What Celtic fans have to know,Park has Liewell’s ear.He calls the shots on transfers.
When Liewell addressed the nation,he said,” our guys didn’t think players playing in Scotland,were good enough for Celtic”
Our guys is one man,Park.So,why go for Scepovic at 2.3M,when Ciftci at Dundee United,used to the Scottish game,a good player,and would have been half the price.
Park has wasted millions on Pukki,Balde,Boerrigter,possibly Scepovic.
Stevie May,Armstrong would have fitted in well at Celtic.
So,why has Park got such a free reign at our club ? Is he accountable to anybody for the wasted MILLIONS ?
Very good points, so would changing the manager help this problem or we needing Lawwell, Park and Deila gone?
When was the last time Celtic bought an outfield attacking player from another Scottish club with any modicom of playing success and profit( which seems to be number 1 priority these days)?
im still shaking my head at James McCarthy and his parents leaving Celtic Park after meeting with Lawwell and being told the deals as good as done, will call you to confirm….their phone never rang.
I don’t think that this is the point Desi/Holy Sea. I know I am in for pelters for this next comment but (taking a deep breath)Lawell is doing a great job, he plays on the same field as the opposition, including Europe, but manages to keep within his budget and pay our way. Liverpool and Man City are just about to get it in a very uncomfortable orifice under the financial fair play rules, same as Barca etc last year. So being austere with Celtic’s finance is a good thing. Loan deals are a common part of football these days due to these rules, so loan deals are also a good thing. If John Park is the guy the rumours make him out to be then, I would be forced to agree with everyone else and make him accountable. However,our players would walk into any other team in the Scottish league at present. But as a team we are disjointed, unbalanced, predictable and one tracked in attack.
I don’t think anyone other than the management team can be blamed for this.
ok…ok…ok… I was delighted to see my old hero Popeye on the masthead but there do seem to be lots of us still in the pro-Deila camp. I want the man to succeed but WHEN do we call a halt? Our league has 12 teams and so far 4 of them have taken points off us. We have dropped nearly as many points as we did with an unfit team all last season. I think our players are overworked on the pitch, tracking back, plugging gaps and so on.
I would like to ask the pro-Deila bhoys how long they will give him before we should press the panic button?
Do you really think Deila could outfox us by losing the league but winning the Europa Cup? I don’t expect that to happen.
I think Deila should be given a deadline by which to be higher up the league: warned then sacked.
The only progress we can measure is where we stand in our league.
Deila should be replaced by Hartley or Macnamara. Forget Larsson: he’s one for the future. McCarthy? Please, no.
I’ll never forget Mowbray saying there were “some positives” in our 4-0 loss to St. Mirren! The only positive that night was Mowbray’s departure and not a second too soon.
Poor Deila, if he loses/draws up in Dingwall then he’s gone: simples!
That 6-1 against the Arabs was clearly a one-off.
I think we will be top of the league by Jan 1st 2015.
If not and more than 5pts from top, I would suggest The Board come out and say “We’ll support NEWGUY better than we supported Ronnie” and actually buy proven quality and have new man in from then.
As for new guy…why get Jackie Macnamara or Paul Hartley….what have they done thats more impressive than Ronnie Deila’s CV? Played for Celtic?
I sadly reckon I know exactly where Lawwell would turn, and he’s already in a job as assistant at Scotland. Be careful what you wish for folks.
Short and sweet.. Profligate misses by Stokes( take him away someone ) . Too many players who cannot cross a ball or take a corner. Too many square ball merchants . No direct play through the middle to take advantage of guidetti or griffiths runs( my ideal pairing ). Need to play 2 strikers up front from start at home .
Just read this on “Talking Baws blog” Stilian Petrov makes return in Sunday League with Leukemia in Recession. My first thoughts were, what a shit name for a team. Turns out the team are actually Wychall Wanderers or something. But seriously, there was a legend, what would any of us give to have someone like him busting a gut from box to box, good memories of more pleasant times. I wonder if his old manager is looking for a more regular job?
When will managers realise that players don’t like this one up front pish , it’s a nonsense , in all my years I’ve only saw one team use it successfully and that was Ajax with Patrick kluivert up front . And that only worked because he had the fantastic litmanen pushed up playing just off him. Ditch this shit formation , give guidetti a partner and let us enjoy our football again for fucksake
Incidentally I believe it was mourinhos insistence on using this formation that put an end to Torres career !
I thought the reaction from the crowd at the substitution wasn;t because Gaudetti was going off but that Wakaso wasn’t. On a day of jaw dropping ineptitude…pick anybody…Wakaso, for me, reached a new low. He really was a man down which, if you add Commons, who does this now and again, meantwe were up against it. Still, like Motherwell second half, we created chances. Stokes and Izzi again linked up well to which Izzi constantly crosses to where forwards, when they are in the area, aren’t.Thought Tonev didn’t know where to be against’Well and he was hooked at half time but Wakaso,whitelining (possibly literally)yesterday gave Efe an even harder shift hum not being a right back n’all.
While I am at it, stop leaving Denayer on the ball bringing it out, he isn’t good enough yet although VVD even held his arms up at one point because there was nobody to hit. News channels giving it big licks by the way ‘humbled by Accies’ ? …I thought it was bad enough going to finish 0-0 !
Anyone here think the loss of:
Forster
Lustig
Mathews
Brown
Bitton
Forrest
Boerrigter
Mulgrew
Samaras
Through illness or otherwise…
The loss of form of:
Ambrose
Commons
Griffiths
Izzy
Would not have affected Neil Lennons plans last Season step forward and say AYE
Otherwise shut the fuck up and let the team settle,the injured return to full fitness and the new faces settle in at their new Club.
All of that should take a touch more than 8 League games and a few shite performances in Europe.
Oh and talking about Europe
we currentLy sit on top of the Table after 2 tough games.
Jose Morhinho put Barca out of the Champions league playing 4-2-3-1 Incidentally and he also beat Arsenal at the weekend using the same setup.
Stop talking shite and KTF.
An open letter to Ronny Deila:
Dear Ronny,
This Summer Celtic for the 3rd season in a row failed to find cover for the eratic left back Emilio Izaguirre.
Fabian Johnsson left Hoffenheim on free Transfer to Borrusia Munching Ballbags after the World Cup may I suggest you go hand them the £3m he was worth 2 years ago and buy him ASAP.
Whilst your at it could you please offload any player not able or not willing to adapt to your new style and approach quickstyle pronto as they are now surplus to requirement and too fuckin lazy to wear the Hoops.
After all they are all on a decent wage.
Ta a fan who will give you 12 months to prove yourself at Celtic.
Aye he did mate with shite counter attacking boring football , we should never play that way , especially in spl
Basically celtic need to get rid of that bawbag end of story he ain’t doing very well and is bringing the team down we only give a first and second chance in life usually soo why do we need to give him loads what makes him so special he’s a Shyte manager …
Hail hail