Celtic Diary Saturday May 9: And the Future ?

Looks like it’s going to be as bad as we feared. David Cameron is going to “finish the job I started ”

My Granny is a little worried about the government plundering her savings for health care in her dotage, , and she’s away to speak to the bank.

It’s either that or I get a job selling private health insurance. Then this time next year I’ll be a millionaire.

That man and his “Cameronomics ” annoy the hell out of me.

This picture summed it all up for me.

Derek MacInnes annoys me as well.

And, it seems,Ronny Deila.The Norwegian has little time for people who think that they can’t win. It’s the old adage, one of the ones I used to bore people with in training meetings.

Deila spoke at length about Aberdeen, who will form a guard of honour before tomorrows game;

Ronny felt the Dons, despite the occasional bleatings ( see what I did there ? ) of one or two of their players, were never convinced they were Champions material.

 “It is the same thing in Norway. But it is possible to win with less money as well. I’ve done it before.

“But if people think like that then they will never beat us, ever. No chance.

“You have to believe you can do it. For us it is perfect and it is not a problem.

“In my experience you have to be unafraid to talk about it. I came here talking about a treble.

“If you say you want to come second you will be a No.2. If you say you want to win the cup you win the cup. That’s how I think about leadership and motivation. 

Ronny is more of a leader. The old mentality amongst Scottish football management is that they are more of a boss, hence the term “gaffer ” being in common usage. Usually applied to allow a former player to make it known he’s now the boss.

There is a difference between a boss and a leader.

Ronny continued;

“When we won the league with Stromsgodset I believed we would win the league.

“Players said we would win the league and we really believed we could do it – and we did it.

“You have to put demands on yourself. You have to say what you are ready to do.

“Everything is possible in football if you work together and have consistency. You can see what Aberdeen have done so far but I hope we are improving more than them and there will be a greater distance between us next year.

“But if everybody is improving it’s going to be a very good season.” 

Ronny leads, not always by example, but with patience and awareness.

Anyway, teaching by example isn’t always a good thing.

My youngest was trying to get the lid off a yoghurt this morning, and he said ” I can’t get the lid off this fucking thing ”

I was horrified, and asked my wife ” where did he get that from ? ”

“Out of the fucking fridge , where do you fucking think, you stupid bastard ”

Ronny also backed Kris commons, who has spoke a lot of shite this season, especially when he appeared to taunt aberdeen when it could have backfired, something that upset Dons sensitive defender Shay Logan at the time, but the SFA couldn’t make a charge of “hurting someones feeling ” stick, even on the balance of probabilities.

“That’s his opinion, if he has that opinion fine.

“But it’s very important to say Aberdeen have done well. They did a very good job and had a fantastic season.

“They have, of course, pushed us. They were not so far behind us in the league the whole season but if Kris feels we had got control of the situation and that we were consistent then I can understand what he was saying.

“After Christmas we were very, very consistent and good and had good control of things.

“But that doesn’t take away from the season Aberdeen had. They have been absolutely fantastic and if they continue improving it’s going to be even harder for us. 

Players can be sensitive souls. Look at how upset Adam Matthews was when he heard what Dons fans did with his national animal. Stefan johansen had to step in.

 Deila acknowledged that the 2-1 win at Pittodrie last time round was the one that counted most.

“The most important victory was the last time we went there.

“At the time we were struggling and had played so many games in Europe. There was an unbelievable togetherness after that game. That gave us extra energy and belief to go on. 

To be fair, a couple of the players looked quite close during it.

With the league won, Ronny let slip on what he thinks we need to do to make an impression on Europe.

“If you look at the Champions League for the last 10, 15 years the teams who do very well have had their team together for almost five years, working together. That’s the important thing.

“Lenny had many years and he did better and better and better. That’s why, because he built his own team and he was there with his people.

“We want to get to the Champions League and we have a dream of doing well in the Champions League. That’s what we are fighting for – and winning trophies in Scotland.

“But also developing the culture in the club from eight-years-old all the way up to the first team, to get them to have a very clear way of doing things, the Celtic way, and do that from the first team and down.

“Hopefully we can be a club that plays attacking, offensive football, with a lot of players who can be from Glasgow and Scotland.” 

This week has seen a number of players talking publicly about how they feel things have gone during Ronny’s first season, and they all have a common theme. Everyone is looking forward.

Even Adam Matthews, who many think would be one of the first to leave this summer. Even though there is no evidence for this.

Especially reading between the lines here:

 “The players have adapted well to what the gaffer wants us to do. Players like Nir Bitton and Stefan Johansen have really pushed on and shown what great players they are.

“I’m sure the gaffer will want to bring in another couple of players and hopefully they can gel. I’m sure we can go on and keep doing well for the next few years.

“We struggled a bit at the start of the season but when a new manager comes in it takes a bit of time to adapt to what he wants to do.

“But especially since Christmas we’ve been near enough unstoppable.

“The manager has been brilliant and we’ve shown that the system of play he has brought in is very effective and we are very hard to beat.

“He’s a bit more tactical and works more on shape than we were used to under Neil Lennon. Most of the time he just let us get on with it and that worked for us as well. The gaffer’s a bit more laid back. Sometimes you need to be shouted at, and he has done that this season. He’s been brilliant.

“It’s the first time I’ve been at a club when the manager has changed, so it was a big change for me.

“But it didn’t take that long to adapt to what he wanted us to do and over the past couple of months we’ve shown what he required and we’ve been winning most games.” 

Everyone is looking ahead, and looking for that consistency that comes with familiarity. Bringing through your own players, combined with the purchase of others for relatively low fees-thus avoiding prima donnas can work. i’m sure i’ve seen it before, quite recently.

Quality players are out there, players who need the right kind of coaching, on and off the park, to allow them to reach their full potential. Allowing them to learn within the same environment for a number of years, instead of letting their heads be turned by the pound note. It means they can settle into a team , and learn to rely on others doing their jobs as well.

Other leaders knew all about that, and passed it on to their players.

Maybe over dramatic there, but the message is clear. It’s all about teamwork, and keeping the same team.

Who knows where that can lead to ?

I rang the bookies to ask what the odds were on a Champions League triumph  for Celtic in the next five years, but I don’t think he took me seriously.

Thats right, he didn’t take me seriously.

Tit.

Speaking of bookies, you might want to make a few quid today as Quenn of the south will face Second Ranger sin the first Play off game.

Alan Muir is the referee, incredibly still in a job after he failed to spot Josh Meekings save from leigh Griffiths in the Cup semi final.

I’ve lost the picture, but it was similar to this, and just as obvious.

How Muir can be given a game as important as this to referee , especially having proved he cannot handle the resonsibility of standing next to the goalpost to see if anyone handles the ball is beyond me. And probably beyond anyone else.

So, if we accept the theory that referees are incorruptible , and we accept that the authorities will do anything to get Second Rangers into the top league, it follows that Alan Muir doesn’t need to be corrupted.

He’ll do what is expected of him.

So, it’s off to the bookies, Second Rangers to score a penalty or two, with lots of bookings for the Doonhamers.

And Gary Hooper.

The club have introduced a number of competitions you can enter when you renew your season book.

A Q&A with the Manager
Ever wondered if Ronny favours a 4-3-2-1 over a 4-4-1-1? Or if he has any matchday superstitions? As a 2015/16 Season Ticket holder, you’ll have the chance to win a Q&A with the boss and get a unique opportunity to put your own questions to the manager in person.

Meet the Captain
Scott Brown is the driving force behind the Hoops and firm fans’ favourite, you could win the chance to meet the club captain and find out what makes him tic.

Play on the Pitch
Every fan dreams of playing on the hallowed turf of Celtic Park and with a 2015/16 Season Ticket, your dream could become a reality with the chance to win the opportunity to play on the pitch in Paradise.

Watch the Bhoys in training at Lennoxtown
See behind the scenes at Celtic’s stunning training complex in Lennoxtown as Ronny Deila and John Collins put the squad through their paces. 

Meet the Captain sounds interesting.  Remember last years winner ?

With the death of Rangers, a couple of high profile  people have been desperately trying to win our affections to take the place of the cap doffing forelock tugging arse kissing head bowing shoe licking  subservience they are used to.

You’ll have to try harder than that. Your lad tried it years ago. We’re not interested.

Yesterday , trying to find a difficult question to ask, i found a picture from Celtics win over Go Ahead Eagles, from the Netherlands, a low country, and it was correctly answered before i even had time to check the Diary had loaded.

So, it’s back to the easy ones.

What are they celebrating here, and how did you celebrate that day ?

Clue. It was seventeen years ago ,