Celtic Diary Thursday November 13: Big News This Morning…..

Big news this morning as FIFAs investigation into FIFAs handling of the World Cup selection process that sees Qatar host the 2022 tournament has cleared anybody of doing anything wrong. FIFA boss Sepp Blatter said he was delighted with the result, and even more delighted with the 24 carat gold and diamond necklace he received from the Emir for his wife.

Later today, we are expecting news on Rolf Harris’s inquiry into sexual abuse at the BBC in the Seventies.

Why do they bother ? No-one is kidding anyone about what happened, and no-one is expecting it to stop. And anyway, at least the weather is guaranteed for the tournament.

If I’m not mistaken, the Rosetta  probe is going to touch down on the harsh , barren inhospitable terrain some time today. Just to check it out, like.

 Back home, and Stefan Scepovic is the latest Celt to be linked with a move in January. La Liga side Levante are reported ( its the Record, so maybe reported is too strong a word ) to be preparing a bid to take the Serbian on loan , now that we’ve realised he’s not very good.

As usual, there are no quotes from Celtic, Levante or the player. or the players agent, or even that last refuge of the piss poor hack, the “informed source ”

Still, being linked with a move out of Celtic will make the striker feel a part of the team, at last, because sometimes he gives the distinct impression that he’s standing on the outside , looking in.

What once seemed certain is now only looking possible, as John Guidetti spoke about his future, while he’s out with the Swedish squad, who face Montenegro this weekend.

“It’s fun to try something new,It’s like a candy bag, you want to try all the flavours. 

“It does not remain constant but you see if you can find a favourite and maybe you stick to it. It’s football, a hobby, it should be fun. How is it to play for Celtic? It’s fantastic with good pressure.

“Some guys said that the European evenings are the best pressure in the world. I have not seen it at Celtic Park yet but?hopefully we’ll have big games.” 

Guidetti gave nothing away there, but he did ad later that his future was on his mind, but that he would “let my agent decide “

 Hopefully, thats his way of deflecting questions away from him, and allowing him to continue to let his feet do the talking.

 The forward has linked up with wannabe Celt Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who reportedly said a few disparing things about Guidetti some time ago. The normally shy and retiring Ibrahimovic apparently called Guidetti a “loudmouth ” , hinting that the on loan Celt had  obviously upset big Zlatan, who likes to keep himself to himself. Ibrahimovic said a while back that Guidetti should talk less to the media and concentrate on doing his job on the field.

Yesterday, Zlatan asked, on hearing of his compatriots success at Celtic;

‘Good, very good. Does that mean he has listened?

‘He has played, made many goals and it’s good that he lets his feet speak. That’s the way he should go on, let your feet speak for themselves. You just have to continue.

‘The doors have always been open, and it’s about how you are performing in your club team. It’s all about how you perform in your club team.

‘John has done so wonderfully well in the Under 21s. That’s how he should go on.’ 

 Guidetti seemed to be choosing his words carefully when he responded;

‘I don’t know him really well,’ he said. ‘We’re not buddies who go out for coffee.

‘But he is an amazing player and probably the best Sweden has ever had.

‘He is our captain and someone we respect on and off the pitch. Of course, he is someone you look up to and strive to be like.

‘Is he better than Henrik Larsson? I don’t know, it’s tight. I think Henrik was unbelievable but Zlatan is hard to beat in Sweden.

‘He has his own stamp, his own word in the dictionary. He is pretty big…

‘I have read his book. It’s one of the few books I have read. It’s the only book I’ve read!

‘It’s a great story, a great book to read. He is a great character in Swedish football.

‘As I said, I don’t really hang out with him but he has been alright with me. He has been cool.

‘We play the same position so he is always good talking to you.

‘Will I ever write a book like Zlatan? I will have to go and train harder if I want to do that because I have a lot to live up to!

‘I don’t know, I just try to stay in the present and work hard. I think a book is far away.’

Nevertheless, Guidetti insists he doesn’t change his personality when Zlatan is around…..

‘I’m always myself,’ he said. ‘If you try to walk through life always trying to change for other people then you will have nothing to do other than be an absolute schizophrenic. You will be trying to be someone else all the time.

‘You just have to be yourself. If someone doesn’t like you then at the end of the day that is their problem, not your problem. You can only be who you are and I have been the same person since I grew up, really. I was a cocky little s**t when I was three and I’m a cocky little s**t now.

‘It’s just me. Either you love me or you hate me but I am always going to be myself.

‘I do it with a good heart. I try to do it with love.’

Well, he’s starting to sound like Zlatan.

 One was called Ronald, one was called Frank, and its Frank who will be seen to be the one who rhymed with his name after he told fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk to stay at Celtic, for now anyway.

 The MSM reeled back in horror when de Boer, now manager of Ajax, said;

 “When Virgil signed for Celtic, I knew he had everything to go on and be a top central defender, both in Scotland and in Europe. 

“I thought he had the attributes to go on and become one of the best players in the SPL, so it is no surprise to me that is exactly what he has done.

“It is also no surprise to me that he is being linked with clubs like Arsenal andManchester United.

“They are both in the situation where they could use another top central defender and they are not easy to find.

“I am sure that he could be a success for any club in Europe.

“But Celtic will know exactly what they have and no coach will ever want to sell in January.

“It is such a difficult window to sign players, that you don’t want to lose your best one during it.

“It would be good for him to win trophies in the SPL first, before he thinks about anything else, it will all be a part of his education.”  

Inquiries are going on at the Record as to how that story got through the stringent editorial checks at the paper.

 James McCarthy has been ruled out of the Scotland Ireland clash tomorrow, and the Irish are hoping that Roy Keane will be allowed bail after he battered a man who asked him for an autograph, which isn’t like him at all. We don’t know at this stage who the man is, but he had a big red nose, was chewing gum and kept pointing at his watch.

 Keane famously doesn’t give autographs in case they end up on Ebay, so if you are lucky enough to ever get one, stick it on Ebay because it will be worth a fortune, such is it rarity.

 Excitement and interest is growing in the game, and one cannot help but wonder if it will all be a bit of an anticlimax when stewrrds and police rush onto the park just before kick off to arrest anyone singing “The Soldiers Song “, like they do every other time the stadium is open.

 Scott Browns in a bit of bother at home. When he got back from the Aberdeen game , his wife asked him ,

“Well, where is it ? “

Bemused, Broony asked her what she was on about .

” I heard you got a red cardigan. “

And there was more criticism of the PR and marketing people at Celtic Park when it was revealed that the Fergus McCann bunnet tribute wasn’t such a new idea after all;

 Unfortunately, I’m here all week. but the veals nice.

Stilian Petrov was the bhoy doing national service in yesterdays picture. He’s nit the only Celt to have done a stint in his nations Army. Two current players have. Who are they ?

 And who the dickens is this ?  ( Hint, he’s not much taller now )