It’s not quite at that stage yet, but the Celtic ticket office have a few left for the upcoming Cup semi final with “rangers ” , and they are looking for ideas to try to shift those that remain.
Little wonder, the fixture was an anti climax the last-and first-time it took place, and there’s little to suggest that it will be any different this time around. You can understand it. How do you shift tickets , semi final or not, for a game against a side who have yet to register a shot at goal against you.
The opposition have had no such trouble, as they perpetuate the myth that they are actually another club altogether, who went into liquidation, and as they usually do, their support are quite happy to believe they are another club, who were much more succesful than the current one.
We hear that a number of first division sides will imitate this marketing philosophy, and adopt the history and names of other clubs, and tv companies are already throwing money on the table in anticipation of games featuring The Barcelona , The Manchetser United and The Really Real Madrid.
Even the dimmest who follow the somewhat frantic build up in the Scottish main stream sports media must be able to spot the pattern.
After all, it’s fairly consistent.
Celtic are about to lose a player ?
Yup.
Dudu Dahan -named after the first thing he did as a baby- biton’s agent, apparently said;
“Nir Bitton belongs to Celtic first and foremost. But they have offers for him from three or four Premier League teams in England.
“I can’t say who they are, but they all have enough money to buy him. Celtic have to decide whether to sell him or not.
“Celtic gave Nir a chance and they believed in him. They have the right to decide his future.
“But Nir is the only Israeli player who has the ability to play at the top levels of the English Premier League.”
Well, is it three, or four ?
It doesn’t matter, it’ll be Arsenal by Friday,as they are the team Biton mentioned, and the one most likely to unsettle him.
What about suspensions, or possible suspensions that may curtail a key players performance in the game ?
The Evening Times….
Leigh Griffiths on best behaviour as he treads suspension tightrope
Which gave me the impression he was one booking away from missing the final, and he would not be the fiesty little minx we have grown to love…
Er, no. as we should know by now…
Griffiths whipped his top off at the weekend, a silly move really because , like all the other players, he looks ridiculous in that sports bra, and it means he is one booking away from a suspension.
In the league, that is.
“I took the booking and maybe it wasn’t the best idea in the world then But to be fair to myself, there was a lot of anger in the celebration.
“I felt as though I had been getting a fair bit of stick over the last few weeks from fans and pundits – one or two pundits in particular really seemed to get stuck into me – and I was so pleased to get a goal. In particular there was one guy on the radio who had a real pop so when I scored it was just a reaction. It just came out.
“But no-one wants to sit out of the team.
“The last thing you want is to serve a suspension, especially if it could be the day that the league is actually won or the trophy handed out. So, I’ll try and keep the sensible head on as we kick on for the last five games.”
Or, of course, he could take the booking in the first game after the split, and get it out of the way.
Just saying, like…
Griffiths is on course to join a very elite list of Celtic strikers…
Which you are unlikely to read about in the papers this week. for some reason, Kenny Dalglish, when interviewed, wasn;t asked about the possibility of Griffiths joining him on this particular roll of honour.
No.
He was asked if Celtic manager Ronny Deila should be sacked if “rangers ” win.
“Winning the league is an achievement which shouldn’t be undermined.
“Can you see Ronny Deila getting the bullet?
“He’s set out to win the league and he is going to win the league.
“I don’t know why that is not the only marker.
“That is for other people to decide. If they decide the league championship isn’t enough, it’s a hard call, I think.
“What decision Celtic want to make after this is up to them. Ronny may even make the decision.
“But winning the league championship is a big marker and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Hang on, Kenny. you haven’t mentioned “rangers “..
“Next year it might be more difficult with Rangers in there and four Old Firm games, but this year Aberdeen have been good and Hearts haven’t been bad.
“Somebody else will decide Ronny’s future, but you shouldn’t undermine the achievement of winning it.
Before this particular snowball gathers any more moss, and i’m forced to mix any more metaphors, we’ve been talking to drunks, listening to loonies and clocking clowns.
Next season, Martin O’Neill will adopt a Director of Football role. Not in the sense of the role that he is on record as saying he wasn’t a fan of, but one with an entirely new role, where he will be the public face of the club, handling the press, overseeing scouting and transfers, and generally restoring order to the internal structure.
Peter Lawwell will be away, and the board will have a new CEO who will have no input on the football side of things, apart from to set the budget.
Ronny Deila will remain as head coach, Roy Keane, as with Davie Moyes, has turned the job down once, and will not be asked again.
Deila needed a mentor/assistant who knows the game in Scotland, and John Collins has proved he’s not the man, so he will be away.
All of which makes a lot of sense.
Which is a first for the Diary.
The bad Celtic stories, are of course, countered by the good “rangers ” ones.
There’s quite a few, as you can imagine, so i’ll stick to the more extreme end, where people who really don’t have a clue have put their , well, it’s not even worth tuppence..
Charlie Adam began his career at Rangers and scored in an Old Firm game 9 years ago and he believes the pressure will be on Celtic when the two sides meet on Sunday.
but my favourite comes from “Men Against Boys ” former Blackburn manager in the Record..
Graeme Souness tells Celtic: The joke’s been on you while
Rangers have been down.. you’ve lost fans and top players
“It’s damaged the game greatly. All the people who rejoiced in Rangers’ demise had such a short-term attitude, a really, really parochial view of it.
How can you have a short term attitude to something as long term as liquidation ?
“OK, we’ll enjoy it. They’ll go down a couple of divisions.
They died….it was in the Record..
Of course, if Souness really believed it was the same club, as with the gullibillies and indeed those running the same club, they would surely have sued the paper by now….wouldn’t they ?
Or at the very least called them out on this misrepresentation ?
Back to Souness, in full flow by now…surprising his parents didn’t call him Dudu.
“Look at Fraser Forster, Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama. Do Celtic sell those players if Rangers are still challenging? They’ve sold some of their best players which means the supporters turn up to see not such a good Celtic team.
“That’s shown itself in the numbers who turn up. Is it 40,000 season-ticket holders? And 10-15,000 don’t turn up for the games? Why? Because they’re not enjoying what they’re seeing.
“If Rangers were strong, Celtic would have to be stronger.
“I don’t live in Scotland and the interest in the game down south has diminished. People spoke about it in England but they don’t any more. The way they see it is ‘just give Celtic the title in August’. That’s the way it’s worked out.
The Record had Souness in front of them, so in a bold move by a Scottish paper, they asked him about the EBT he received from Rangers ten years after he left the club…
“I was doing work for Rangers. I’m not being blasé but how much was it? What was the largest amount someone received?
“I was in between jobs and I was going to scout players for Glasgow Rangers at that time on the continent. Does that answer it?”
You would have thought after his men against boys claim, back in 2003, he would have chosen his words more carefully, as James doleman, court reporter, explained on twitter..
Looks like Souness has just driven a coach and horses through BDO’s Supreme Court appeal.
With the admission he got paid for work via EBT, by Rangers, we asked the guys at HMRC what they thought, after showing them the video with the claim-which you can see here..
The Record, having had this rather stark admission from Souness, immediately started on the tough questions, leaping in to take full advantage of the statement….
“Right, thanks Graeme, fancy a pint ? ”
It would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious.
Actually, no, it’s making me laugh.
There will no doubt be more pap in the papers as the week goes on, and I really don’t want to bore you with it, but by the same token, a lot of it needs to be presented in a more honest and balanced way, so you’re stuck with it.
Like this, which you won’t find in the papers, from Beram Kayal, or at least under that heading…
Anyway, I had a tough day yesterday. I need cheering up.
I was set upon by a gang of mime artists, and they did unspeakable things to me.
Friday caption winner, suggested by Ronny…
Yesterdays, by Steve,
Just so you know, it’s actually an Automatic Tip Requester
And todays…will it be you with the witty words of warmth and wisdom ?
If Lawell leaves his successor will inherit identical challenges. Does anyone really think we should keep players who want to play in the Premiership for four times the wages, why would they want four times their current wage, I mean would you.? To Fraser, Victor and Virgil signed for Celtic in the basis of an offer from England came in they would be allowed to go, Lawell’s job was to get the best price. Did Norwich get value for Hooper, Sunderland for Matteaws even Ki doesn’t seem to figure much for Swansea, maybe he is injured.
Lawell’s model has worked for us, what is the alternative one, apart from qualifying for the Group stages every year and we don’t have the quality to GUARANTEE that.
The problem is if we continually sell our best year in year out then we limit our chances of qualification to the Champions League.
We have to find a better balance between under investment and overspending on shite.
Balance sheets don’t win Football matches team sheets do.
Lawwells bonus has multiplied by 10 in his time at Celtic,his wage by 5 times yet the income of the Club is lower now than it was when he arrived.
That’s the real issue here he seems to make a killing regardless of how the Business is doing overall.
This tells me any way that his Bonus is now directly linked to player sales and not profit.
Hence the push to keep punting them asap.
Well that approach now has us a lesser force in Europe as a result.
Only one winner in that and it it’s not Celtic or the Support.
Well said Charlie saiz!
Thing is, if Lawell’s wage and bonus increased by the amount Charlie is saying then he must have been doing exactly what he had been asked and more, he’s only carrying out someone else’s instructions after all.
So whilst it’s easy to have a go at Lawell you can hardly blame him for doing the job he was told to do.
I think we need to look beyond that to who really runs the show.
I shall put it in black and white for you bud:
2004 Annual Accounts:
http://wikifoundryattachments.com/VjnQiWMllPK5XY68%24jLttQ%3D%3D1675389
Club Income 2004
Turnover £69.020 million
Profit from Operations £4.87 million
Loss After Taxation £7.471m
Season Ticket Sales 53,158
Average Home Attendance 58,420
Peter Lawwells Wage 2004
Salary £102,884
Bonus £38,582
Benefits £9,063
Pension £15,432
Total £165,961
2015 Annual Report
http://cdn.celticfc.net/assets/downloads/Celtic_plc_Annual_Report_2015.pdf
Club Income
Turnover £51.08 million
Loss from Operations £2.188m
Loss After Taxation £3.974m
Season Ticket Sales 40,472
Average Home Attendance 45,400
Peter Lawwells Wage
Salary £564,128
Bonus £417,787
Benefits £17,349
Total £999,264
So to summarise that’s
Club:
Club Turnover Down £17.94 million
Loss Decreased by £3.497 million
Season Ticket Decreased by 12,686
Average Gates down by 13,020
PL’s Salary Increased by £461,244
Bonus Increased by £379,205
Total Income Increased by £833,303
He was either underpaid at the start or is overpaid at present because the fortunes of both Club and CEO do not tally no matter how you look at it.
He has balanced the books better though (as you would expect being an Accountant by trade) the fact remains this has come at a cost both on the pitch and in the stands.
I think it’s time for a change and if we are serious about the Champions League then we need to have a serious rethink about an approach that is not to dis similar to the current Banking Situation ie the Guy at the top is being rewarded for what appears to be a failed approach.
Monti just broke the Internet.
Spot on, Charlie S. When the huns committed suicide we down-sized even more, the mark of a bean-counter, instead of investing a relatively small amount to compete and gain European money, the mark of a shrewd cookie. It would also have GUARANTEED 10 in a row and counting. Lawwell’s got to go, he’s only in it for himself, never a proper Tim in his life. Give him an abacus and tell him where to go with it. If only there was a workable way towards a fans buy-out……? Hmmm, must remember to add that in my next note to Santa……SHIT, it’s the men in white coats again…., HELP! 🙂
HH
Well said Charlie Saiz!
Maybe if we had a manager that was capable of beating teams like Malmo and Legia then we wouldn’t have to sell to make ends meet.
Maybe if we held onto our Central defence in the summer and avoided the injuries we sustained to several key players the Manager would have had an increased chance of getting into said Champions League?
We planned for Boyata to leave and while Virgil had wanted to leave for a bit, he was here for the qualifiers, then left after we put out again. Its not like Lawwell tied them up, threw them in the boot and drove south.
Team vs Malmo:
Gordon
Lustig Boyata Virgil Izzy
Brown Biton
Forrest Johansen Armstrong
Griffiths
Lustig missed the 2nd leg through injury. That isn’t ‘several key players’ to me.
Had Mulgrew been fit Boyata would not have started.
Lustig Brown Johansen Armstrong have been what can only be described as SHITE all season.
Mulgrew was on the bench and swapped places with Izzy for the 2nd leg.
And the form of the other 4 that not a factor Doc?
Boyata played in almost every game due to the injury and transfer situation .
Bear in mind how inexperienced he was this Season.
We never had a settled back 4 for 5 months bud and that off the back of losing our Central Defence in the Summer.
But hey you can ignore all that and simply blame Deila.
Ps Charlie,it is the champions league qualifiers I think Doc is only concerning with not the Europa league. The least said about that the better.
Off form? It was the start of the season.
Those 4 have been poor all season.
If the manager can’t motivate the players to beat an inferior team in a cup game then i don’t think he’s the man for the job. With reference to this week.
If we weren’t sharp or match fit then fair enough but we were 2-0 in front at half time and then sat back and let them beat us. No more this year.
You are right Doc in that Mulgrew was fit for selection.
Boyata and Virgil was the preferred choice as our two main centre backs until the qualifiers were over. When Virgil would be on his way. Never heard though about Boyata leaving.
Izzy got dropped for the second leg and Mulgrew played at Left back. Nonsense, IMO from the manager.
We had the players no doubt about it, the manager has to take the responsibility of us not qualifying.
Maribor and Malmo should have been taken care off.
Any other manager, would have got us through I have no doubt about it.
The board gambled on a rookie manager, their mistake.
The money should have been spent on getting the best manager available, not the cheapest option.
Players come and go, if we get top dollar even better.. Sourness says no one in England watches Scottish football, how does our best players end up down there then. When our club sign players they now have the greatest Derby in the world to tell them about,even though it makes me sick. Added European football and a list of players who have went from us to the premiership,what is wrong with that, if players out there that are under the radar of the top English clubs and we can offer that,I’m sure it’s a plus. We must use that to our advantage. We can’t compete in the transfer open market,this is how we must continue to do our business.
Hopefully next season with a new manager.,
Hail Hail
Excellent post Jimmybee despite what Charlie S is convinced the playing resources were there they were just badly deployed and I think Doc ment to say Dennayer rather than Boyata
Jimmybee, you are correct, we had the players against Malmo away,Izzy was fit and so was Mulgrew.I remember quite clearly saying to my son,its obvious he will go 4-3-3,with izzy at left back and Mulgrew with johanson and Brown with a three man midfield,but no the same attacking 4-2-3-1.
Good spot Maryhillbhoy, I meant Denayer. Next year will be Deilas fourth attempt at the CL and, based on his record, I fear the worst, especially with the games sandwiched in between against some of Europes best. I used to be confident about beating any big team at Parkhead but not now under Deila. Malmo beat us then got a record CL score put past them which I don’t think bodes well for us. Folk have ran out of confidence in Deila and I hope he leaves before folk run out of patience.
We have found our level I HAVE been saying it for over 3 years now we are not a Champions League level side.
You can’t go into these qualifiers missing vital players with a squad bereft of any real quality and expect to turn teams over.
Gordon Lustig Brown Johansen and Armstrong all started the Season on poor or erratic form.
These are all Key men in our side but they are not top quality so when they do struggle with form they become very ordinary indeed.
To blame their individual form on the Manager is naive at best.
Form is temporary it has fuck all to do with motivation which btw you should have anyway pulling on a Celtic top going into ANY European game let alone a crunch tie like Malmo.
Scott Brown has struggled to pass a ball 10 ft to feet all Season is that Deila fault too?
Utter pish talk.
These players need to own their shite it is they who are producing it at the end of the day regardless of who is on the touchline.
Malmo have players no worse than our own but like Celtic can play above themselves and beat much fancied sides on occasion.
What these sides lack in individual ability they can make up for in team work.
Knockout Football is also notoriously difficult even moreso so early in a Season.
All factors the Deila out Brigade conveniently ignore of course.
BJF
I don’t agree with you on this.
The alternative model was to purely focus on getting into the group stages for the CL. Yes there is an element of risk but had we kept these guys to the majority of their contract period I feel we would have achieved it.
We would have lost out on a large chunk of their transfer fees but we more than likely would have had £40m or so from the group stages to counter this.
The board in my view tried to get both which was a risky strategy as the cupboard is now just about bare and there is no Wanyama, Van Dyke or Forster in the squad now and qualification is very difficult as funds to support the manager are thin on the ground.
Spot on a very short sighted approach indeed.
Business is about taking risks all be it calculated ones.
Speculate to accumulate.
In my opinion we should have kept the players sold for < £7M. If we had we probably would still have had a qualify team, but still made ends meet over 2 seasons. That is the issue with accountants they only concern themselves with 1 fiscal year at a time. A top team will pay £7M for a full back with Champions League and International experience.
I agree Uralius we could have picked Fabian Johnson up for FREE January last year.
That’s an Intenational Defender who can play lb rb LW and up front at a push!
Never even enquired ffs.
Can’t see Martin taking a DOF role and if he does I forsee problems. You either trust the manager with full control or you get rid of him.
What is muted here is a half arsed compromise.
I agree but no matter what happens in a Managerial sense does not detract from the fact changes need to be made at the very top.
I think PL knows the games a bogey now the fans are onto him.
4 clubs in for Bitton..If I didn’t know any better I’d say there was a Newco FC game coming up
Lets get this mob PUMPED !
So will Ronnie coach the team, handle substitutions,oversee tactics etc etc?. If so that whole idea cam GTF at great speed. Am all for the return of O’Neill but we can’t saddle him with carrying Ronnie when there is much else needing sorted. As for the idea of an assistant/mentor the two roles are in fact the opposite of each other a mentor teaches you by imparting knowledge correcting mistakes etc, an assistant ultimately does what you tell them. So can we please stop trying to find ways to fabricate a role for Ronnie. Please
Maybe Ronnie just doesn’t like being I the public eye so much and we’ll have MON with Ronnie as his assistant?
Caption: Is that Billy Stark in his model tea ford
Caption…. So the Petrofucked Cup does have a use after all.
The MON/DoF proposal sounds mighty like MON will be a manager and Ronnie a coach/Asst Manager in all but name. The difficulty in this half way house will come when there are team selection/tactical decisions to be made – does MON hold the whip hand as Ronnie’s boss, or will Ronnie have enough confidence/security to be able to say to MON that he is over-reaching his responsibilities? ALso, if Collins is away, who will be Asst Manager? If it’s up to MON, Steve Walfordx is likely to be installed there (not a bad thing IMHO) which means there will be conflict between Ronnie’s “modern” coaching and Walford’s “old school” coaching! This has got disaster written all over it!
Caption: It will never catch on in the Tarrier Carrier
deila is gone, end of… the only one that has kept him in a job is PL, and if hes away you can be assured ronny is too
its will be mon and keane. desmond flexing his ageing muscles
Birdy, Birdy,Eagle,stretch one, two,strech one, two,the sun has got its hat on (somewhere over the Rainbow,skys are green).Pierre theres only one Pierre.
Andy,Andy Andy Thom,scores the goals and sends them home.
Dixie,Dixie,Dixie Deans,gie us a goal by any means.
You are my Larsson my Henke Larrson you make me happy when skys are blue.
We have been to soft on the Old Rangers, We have only met the New ones once. What about a campaign of truth and honesty. I say strip the titles of the Old club. Let the history bokks and records show the cheating years, Sir David Murray stripped of his knighthood, just plain old David, and an apology to all those they have bumped on the way. If they are who they say they are, let them pay back every last penny with interest, just to keep their history in tact. No pay back No way back. All other Scottish clubs to recognise old club status only when all accountability has been paid back………No, didn’t thinks so. New Club stance remains.
Martin O’Neill is coming back…….
XBOX ON……AAHH That’s better 🙂
Celtic have the jam farts at tynecastle after the split instead of celtic Park!!! Bending there own rules again.
There is an awful lot of young talent signed for the hoops,there is that many sometimes it is easy to forget them.
Young Michael Duffy had a great game for Alloa against Hibs on
Sunday,scored a couple as well methinks.When you add up the on loan talent as well as the first team squad then WOWEE along with some fine young talent in the Development squad,woof feckin brill.
The appointment of MON in any capacity at Cellic would be great news,the Directer of Fitba is made for him,could it be that all our wishes are coming true,HEHAW,MARJORY DAW,the future is green,well we deserve it dont we.
Monti, cheers, you make me laugh (in a good way) I would be so pumped if MON came back as a football manager and I’m sure my X-box would suffer too, though not as much as yours! Is yours made of some indestructible space age materials? Are you going blind or deaf? But sorry, Monti, MON would not come back to us. Things have changed too much since 2005.
Devoy,
I think most managers in world football would be interested in the Celtic job, but the best ones would want a fantastic budget to work with.
No more projects though, had enough! HH
Caption:
“Now thanks to Level 5 mobile, the busy journalist on the go doesn’t even have to leave his car to get the latest steaming hot media p*sh on all things Rangers. Just Pull and your fresh hot p*sh is available ready to use”
Good to hear Celtic fans are lukewarm on this game. I had the chance to stay in and watch the game on Sunday or go out – I’m heading out. Will tape it and see how the result goes. It’s really a no win game for Celtic but – win and there will be no credit, lose and it will be Ronnie on a gallows time.
Not sure I d class the plan you say you’ve heard as sensible – any plan where Ronnie is our manager while Martin O Neill is at the club has one basic yet vital flaw …can anyone spot it!?
Not crazy about Griffiths comments either – to be so thin skinned that the media wind up merchants, gulping down the aforementioned fresh hot p*sh, can get to him. Celtic fans value him and let him know it that should be all he needs. Or he can look at the SPFL scoring charts
elcormaco,
It’s a Scottish cup semi- final, I don’t think anyone should be lukewarm about this game.
It isn’t Rangers, it isn’t an Old firm game but it is a major Semi-Final!
Let’s do them some damage…
You’re right, lukewarm was maybe the wrong word. I mean its just another semi final, Celtic make semi finals quite often and its no more appealing because of who it is (less appealing really) wheras for those same flies following a new jobbie folk its pant wettingly exciting
Ive no doubt Celtic fans will be out to support the team, as Tommy Burns siad “they’re there and there always there, and God bless each and every one of them”
A young Keith Jackson tries the drugs that killed river Phoenix but suffers terrible brain damage giving him the pre requisite to write for the daily record ..
Caption;Hotel sevco goes Roman,stay left fholks stay left.
Atternoon…
Just on to say…
My Grandson has backed me in refusing our two ticket allocation for upcoming semi.
Its the only way we know to let the SFA be aware that their cheating and corrupt days are heading for an end.
Small gesture I know…and they won’t bother their arse…but we feel its a start.
Never thought I’d see the day when I did this…but I’m so glad I did.
As for Griffiths…
Grow up son..you’re miles better than that.
Hail hail.
Did the exact same thing m8, we will watch it on the telly.
Bouncy castle booked for him and his cousins,jelly and ice cream after.
Hail Hail
One thing that struck me about the Motherwell game was the amount of advertising from cash converters Must be tough living in Motherwell
Could be worse…….Dundee.
Today at Cash Converters Dundee site..
http://addisfortune.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/sheep_market.jpg
Lol
Lol, Ha,feckin Ha.it could be worse,yes you are so right with that one Minty.
Every time you two post about Bonnie,Bonnie Dundee,the land of my Birth,the home of the Free,the signature tune to Bugs Bunny springs to mind,EH WHITS UP DOC or what was Charlie S,pic? Oh aye it was the 2 stooges,(one is no longer with the other two.)
Mind the pictures are feckin funny.
Lol ma erse.
I understand the feeling of our fans,towards the semi final and our opponents.,The so called club that has to be called Rangers.
I decided after their cheating and sanctioned by the sfa,never to attend another game at Hampden either as a Celtic or Scotland supporter. So it doesn’t surprise me we have tickets left,the club has not understood the depth of feeling towards the 5 way agreement,Res 12 and our total lack of faith in our wee country,which is only here to serve one club..
Season books won’t rise because they are back,we will remain about 40k as the trust has gone.
I would hope that if the season ticket holders don’t want them,a public sale goes out for the remainder,maybe then fans who can’t afford season books, get the chance to go to a semi final.
Caption: Petrofac cup is the cause of fires on a team bus.
I know Mike still shite 🙂
You are correct Jimmybee,but its your post (again)that i love,
Your pish captions still need a wee bit of work,but please keep going Jimmy,god loves a tryer and so dae aye.
It could be worser Jimmy, you could come from (AYRSHIRE) or even worser (EDINBURGER).
So all is not bad mate,i could not agree more with you.
Bless them all,Bless them all,the Jimmys the Willys and all,cos we wont be mastered by any orange bastard,so cheer up now BHOYS and bless you all.
Hail,Hail to you Jimmybee.
Its simple what we need to do , stop bringing in foreigners like bitton who just use us to get to england and fill the team with development players and the youngsters we signed who dont play. These guys are happy to play for celtic and i for one would rather watch 11 teirneys than overvalued players with one eye on the premiership.
if biton goes we have allan armstrong and henderson , anyone of them could step in there. I would love to see a midfield one day of armstrong allan and christie together
Delbhoy do you not think that’s a bit harsh on Bittonn who so far has already given us years of service? Furthermore do you think Henderson Christie Allen ir whoever wouldn’t go south for massive pay rises its the way of football as long as they give their all when they are here so can we avoid the ” no more foreigner” lines
Delbhoy, that would be nice, but do you think the fans would wait for the youngsters to develop into a team. The way they howl abuse at players the now,I don’t think it would be the right environment for young players to be given the chance to develop. I would love to see it though.
Ralph,
Your mime gag stole the show today.
Yeah it must have been like dodging through a dangerous mime field with a wan legged dug with a medal round his neck
Am i looking at the right photo – one of a guy pouring into a cup from his dashboard?
caption is that the petrolcap training cup before its new life as a football trophy for diddy teams
will the zombies be toasting michael fagins burd fae it next year
The scenario of MON as DF and Ronnie as mamager is like a skit out of “Would I Lie to You?” You hope it is not true, but it just might be!
MON’s strengths are in crafting a team and motivating them. Whereas Ronnie’s weaknesses are in devising tactics and reading a game. Arguably also he making appropriate subs as well. So how could MON and RD work together in a productive manner? The only way I see this having a chance is if RD looks after youth and the development squad.
Ronnie will be able to get a good job, certainly in Scaninavia, and potential with a team in the top half of the Belgium, French or Polish leagues. If he leaves here with 4 trophies his CV will look good, despite failings in Europe.
I hope this is just fantasy, else it will be another expensive mistake in the making. I can see MON coming back because the Board may feel they had their fingers burned by innovating and will prefer the tried and tested.
Rebus
Why does Ronny Deila need to be given another post within the club?
Monti,
He does not and I hope he does not. I was merely looking at possible configurations that would be acceptable to both parties, but mainly to MON.
Rebus
Rebus insightful and well put together post
Rebus, The thing about MON is that he knows his own mind and no one will talk him around to there point of view,unless he sees the merit in it.
Personally i cant see him working with Ronny in any footballing capacity,i am with Bbhoy,he would bring Keane with him,he Keane wanted the job it was P.L.that did not want to work with Keane,it says so in R.K.book.
Mike,
I hope RK comes nowhere near Celtic. He is a one man wrecking ball. What sucess as a manager has he had at club level?
I’d like to go out with him for a drink, tho’
Rebus
Rebus,R.Keane, has had limited success at club management,that was a few years back and yes he could be volatile in the past.MON has backed his contribution with the Irish squad and i would be certain that he MON if appointed would bring his own choice to Celtic.
It is on record that D.D.wanted him R.K. as Manager that is not disputed,whether that would happen now who knows,others will make that choice,one thing i am sure of if D.D.appoints an Irish Manager,then there will be more cash in the Kitty to spend on players.
I meant to say…”inappropriate subs…..”
Rebus
Don’t think we should get old managers back its like getting an old flame back the same problems always surface MON had an open check book and was under the illusion Celtic would be in the epl because of the hype around Lennon had his time and like it or not his anger problems reinvigorated bigotry. The man had balls though after having his family threatened and getting a doing in byres road. Guys paid his dues.
” reinvigorated Bigotry “?
What the fuck are you on about?
His flashpoint with ally McCoist. Monti. I’m talking about the fall out on the streets. Lennon suffers from depression and probably has ptsd from getting a beating and having bullets sent through the mail
Are you fucking serious for even a second with your comments on Lenny?
look as much as I enjoyed watching Lenny going at ally McCoist. And admire his tenacity and fiery Celtic warrior I think part of the reason he left was because of the threats and the attack. Only so much one can take also think he board were not going to give him what he wanted? Why would that change? Lennon did well but I doubt he would emulate his successes second time around Its not a put down. I like Neil Lennon
Iancelt,
I don’t understand what the fuck your saying here about Neil Lennon!
Look. South American countries apart what other country has their football managers terrorised and attacked while going out for a salutary drink? I don’t like the club being dictated too as to who they should sign as a manager. The reinvigorated bigotry comes from hiring a manager from Northern Ireland. Who has an incendiary nature. The bigotry is coming from the other side not them. It does sound like we are wilting to their threats. But until bigotry is eradicated. We should look to the 200 por so other countries for a manager. Lennon could have been killed the night he was attacked. It’s a fucked state of affairs
Neil Lennons anger problems reinvigorated bigotry? Sorry mate I’m failing to track with that line. Maybe the fact that a Northern Irish Catholic played for and managed Celtic was too much for the bigots to stomach. Want some other chap from Hamikton who decided not to wear a poppy in the same boat? Did he reinvigorate bigotry or was the voracity of it simply turned up ?
Not saying he shouldn’t have had the opportunity to play or manage. It’s paramount that the club and player should be allowed to exercise these freedoms. But… He was terrorised and a lesser man would’ve crumbled and walked. In saying that he could have gone and played elsewhere with peace of mind. I don’t think it’s time for anymore martyrdom and risk taking by the board by taking Lennon on again. I don’t think the reinvigoration of bigotry stems from Lennon alone I just think his character has the potential for further trouble and maybe through no fault of his own is a perpetual target for loyalists … Why go there?
Over here in Australia the A league eradicated clubs with migrant names and anglicised them too stop Serbs Greeks Turks and Croats going at each other political flags were banned but sadly a lot of colourful sights were gone and the people who kept soccer alive were forgotten about and put down to the lower leagues. To put all this in context with the Lennon thing and the Irish Catholic / pseudo Dutch bullshit that surely would have been minimised if the sevco lot were eradicated … until we get a handle on it and depoliticise the game without foregoing the pride in our Irish roots it’s a wrong move
Broxburn. Yeah the voracity turned up the heat couldn’t have put it better Reinvigorated bigotry may be a bit harsh as Lennon wasn’t purporting bigotry. In fact he was doing the opposite but tell that to the cretin loyalists.
Look I’m going to offer an apology about the comments about Lennon I don’t live over there and am not in the coal face of the Celtic/Hun dynamic My time was in the seventies when it was open slather for vulgarity it wasn’t that long after Catholics were allowed to vote and the troubles were as bad as it got. I played my part chucking clods of dirt onto orange walkers on the 12th from the butney bridge I liked Neil Lennon and like any manager whose heart is with the club. I just fear for his safety if he stepped back in
Fair enough mate. I don’t want Lenny back as manager either for a variety of reasons (and I don’t think he would be in a hurry to return himself for obvious reasons with regards to his physical and mental wellbeing) but it was your comment of Lenny “reinvigorating bigotry” that I took issue with as it was along the lines of the old SMSM mantra of “he brings it on himself”. I know you didn’t mean it in that sense. Anyway, there is nothing to debate – he is NOT returning as Celtic manager anytime in the near future.
caption is that the brigton loyal mug before them bastards at chanell 4 pixelated it says billy bigot fae the cross
Caption:
This Gentleman is none other than Mr.Whyte (snr) he has just heard the news that his wife has given birth to a bouncing baby boy…..Craig!
I think the man is entitled to a brew….
see facts are in short supply,tickets for hampden sold out yesterday
GRIFFITHS GOOD PLAYER THICK AS SHIT,TAKING HIS SHIRT OFF ON SATURDAY,HOPE HE WAS FINED
You make him look like Einstein.
🙂
Thought that at the time Deadthimg.☘☘☘
And another thing…Getting into ranting mode, what is all the fuss over Souness and his EBT. Why are blogs getting excited? It was already known that he had got at least one, and it was known that it was after he left Rangers. Does anyone think that Hector did not know this, or that they did not know he was or was not employed elsewhere when he received it? It is old news. The only possible revelation is that he admitted doing work for it, i.e., scouting. Doing work, getting paid, paying tax is a well known cycle thst we have all rode upon. Souness is not daft…he only admitted that it was work because he had either already paid tax on it, or is about to. It is a non-story, unless there is something that I cannot see.
Rebus
You are correct on that Rebus,it was an insignificant sum,compared to others.The only difference was that he admitted that the EBT was given as remuneration,a sure thing that would need to be taxed.and it wisny.
Caption:
The sharp suited man appreciates his platinum in-car coffee press, while ruminating his latest bonus and the slew of negative stories coming towards the Scottish Champions and the positive ones heading towards young pretender fc.
Will it be you,with the witty words of wisdom,well will it,or wont it,who will it be i wonder.
Will it be Willy Wonka who wants a willy to look at and wonder.
Let it be me,let it be me,just youz wait and see.
Caption, The mug with the Mug,He likes a wee cup of tea in the morning,he likes a wee cup of tea in the evening,he likes a wee cup of tea with his tea.
Self Portrait of the man himself Mr Malph,Oh they call him the young pretender,they call him the young cavalier,they call him a lot of things in Bonny Dundee.
Thanks Ralph. The mime artist gag had me in stitches, and for not giving “them” capitalisation.
Let more of these EBT receivers relate how they worked for their EBTs – let them wind themseleves deeper and deeper into the net. Thanks “Souey” – makes him sound like the neighbours cat or something, instead of dirtiest B$^&^tard who has ever pulled on a pair of boots.
Charlie/Monti you both avoided the issues: a.) The players came because part of the deal was an escape to a better and more profitable league. how many would come if that was not guaranteed. b.) What is wrong with them wanting to move to a much higher standard of football and a much better remunerated one. just saying that we shouldn’t sell our best players doesn’t deal with the fact if they want to go and we hold them that creates a lot of problems. Look at “Rangers,” I guess they won’t fall apart if any of their current squad left and who would fight to sign them, but will they survive a sustained challenge in the top division, I doubt it.
We can turn our back on the balance sheet but we will not attract quality, it would be good to promote a dozen Kieran Tierneys’ but are they in Scotland and do we have them?
BJF, Because of our unenviable position right on the EPL border,we shall always attract players that wish to play in the EPL.The money on offer there will guarantee that and that is how it should be for any professional athlete.That will never change whoever and whichever model we employ.
We no doubt will be stating that to any prospective agents or players.If we are honest young K.T. will if he fulfills his potential go down that same path and so he should.But that is a positive and if we can offer a route into the EPL as a selling club then there is nothing wrong with that.
If we look on the positive then it should help the club attract better players that will stay with us for 2/3 years min.
Hope you are good BJF,take care.
Fully aware of why they came but then that’s Peter Lawwells pre requisite BEFORE we even look at them ffs.
22-24 Year Old promising project with hopefully a good sell on value.
What happened to the days of signing a ready made good to go pro with a few miles on the clock who is looking for one last hurrah in the Champions League before he goes out to pasture?
These are the guys who win the games against the Malmos etc.
For the amount of absolute shite we have frittered millions on we could have acquired several of these types AND paid the higher wage needed to entice them.
But no let’s play the buy to sell market and watch the side go backwards instead as we do.
It’s flawed.
The EPL happened with skys billions happened,that is why we are forced to look everywhere for good talented pros.That will never change.When Bosman was introduced your old model changed
we could of course revert to purchasing the Auld players past there sell by dates,with the likes of Jungberg or Keane looking for there last Harrah but to fucked to do it anymore.
The Lawwell model works for us in the Environment we have,a mix of the best Scottish talent,young and older who wish to see there time up winning titles and cups to finish there careers,nothing wrong with the model its just the quality of the players we can buy,to get the best talent,without putting our club into to much debt.
Celtic can comfortably live with a bit of debt after all most big Clubs do.
It’s how you manage it that’s important.
Had we spent the repoted £6m on Finbogasson when Peter bulked at the asking price we could have saved the £6m we blew on Pukki Scepovic Balde and Cifti.
Not to mention the money wasted on Derk Boerrigormortis.
No arguments there,my argument is that a bit more quality with the signings,but overall the model works.
Ralph
The Dairy is getting very close to the bone. At this rate you will be exposing the marrow before the end of the season and very tasty indeed it should be. Every dog will be giving it big licks. I look forward to a hearty feast. In all my years I have never heard such claptrap as is being banded about right now. I detest the whole idea of playing against any kind of “rangers”, forest or otherwise even if there is the threat of bears, and the utter garbage that is being dumped on us about it makes me rejoice I probably do not have to put up with it for too much longer. Sadly most on here will. But then, I have done my stint even tough it never seemed as unbeara,ble as now. The possibility of a confrontation with any kind of toxic excretion from Ibrox has haunted me since 2012 and having whiffed it once last year, I had hoped it was the last pong of the dying. Now it has come round again and me without a gas mask. So much for my donations to war museums.
As for the multi permutations suggested for Parkhead next season, they are simply too much for a man with little grasp of sense and sensibility. I will leave it to the expert pundits both in the SMSM and on here to devise the final solution. Your suggestions, or those of the invisible friend who preserves your integrity, sound far-fetched. However, far-fetched is not so far from reality at Celtic right now, so you may not be so far up the garden path as to have your nose firmly embedded in the poppies. Personally, I am not sure whether to piss or shit myself. That is why I have selected my brown incontinence pants for the next six months. That way, whatever comes out of the mix will not be a surprise mess – sorry for the imagery. No doubt our impressive PR people will use their inimitable skills to hang out the dirty washing for all to see. No, I am not full of the hard stuff. It is just that my head feels like it is whirling round in a cement mixer with all the twists, turns and mind boggling suggestions. I guess the only peace and comfort are the words of Mr. Mouth. He was aye fond of two-footed tackles. But this time, his both of them whacked himself and broke a few DBO legs methinks. I have always been fond of silver linings. You should see my wedding suit.
Caption: Another one of ra people gets treated like a king. One drink from the loving cup before getting shagged in the back seat.
H H
Ralph
Oh the joys of commenting never change especially when no one has to read what you say. It will turn up somewhere no doubt once the moderator sensors it.
H H
Common now P.Bhoy,dinny leave us in suspenders,spill the Beano,what did you post that required censorship?
mike
My words are above reproach but you should see my kisser!
H H
Well, Well,Pensionerbhoy,let he without looks cast the first stone,it willny be me,thats for sure.
Mind you from some of the comments on here, there are a lot of bowfers on this blog.HA.HA.HA.
Good luck my good man.
mike
And my spelling deserves 6 of the best. It would be censored any day by any decent sensor.
H H
Let him without sin cast the first cloot.
H.H.
Poor old Souness from the Liquidated Past! He basically admits he got EBTs in return for work done. A taxable transaction. I can see the appeal now. Witness for the prosecution Mr Graham Souness. You really can’t make this up. Exhibit A M’Lord Mr Souness statement to the Daily Record of all people.
It looks grim for law well if we can’shift 20,000 tickets for a semi.Similar sales for st, oh dear!
That the royal we?
Salad green I don’t believe for a second there was any problem getting rid of the tickets imho mate.
Celtics allocation of tickets for the semi final is sold out. No surprise there. Suppose we were playing any team in the semi final we can shift 20000 tickets easily enough. I’m sure the Sevco crowd will sell out too as playing against premier league opposition is a rare treat for them. Especially since they are playing the ScottishChampions. They should be afraid be very afraid
Caption: Timmy liked to listen to Clyde Superscoreboard in the car, especially since he installed the Magic Mushroom Tea Dispenser. He assumed it was magic mushrooms given what he would usually hear.
BBC still peddling the Big Lie in the run-up to Sunday.
Yesterday we had Sourness and his laughable take on liquidation – “in the end they got their sums wrong” and “mistakes were made”. Hasn’t been as lame an excuse since Father Ted and the money ‘just resting’ in his bank account.
Today, the dignified Sir Wattie is given media space to give his version of events.
Tomorrow, BBC broadcasting ‘Live, as it happens’ séance with Willie Wilton, Bill Struth, Scot Symon & Jock Wallace to discuss immortality things undead.
Brilliant. The media driven hype is a narrative all about the survival myth and the victim myth and of course the Scottish football will be saved myth. Celtic and the rest of the teams are seemingly bit players in Sevcos march to the Champions league. Oh how I await the reckoning to come in the courts with the oldco and EBTs, stripping of titles, the newco basket of assets court case and the possible criminal gain findings as well as the continuing and chronic shortage of cash and still somehow trading while insolvent. How wonderful all these things will be. This is the biggest sporting scandal in British history and it has been more or less airbrushed away.
BB,
There’s a saying: ‘It’s the victors that write the history’.
Be patient.
It’ll be even sweeter than 2012 when the whole house of cards falls down.
Humping them on Sunday will help too.
It’ll put all that rubbish on the BBC and in other media into perspective.
Spectrum is Green
Does that mean we will be watching “willie wilton”, “bill struth”, “scot symon” & “jock wallace”?
H H
Only if you want to!
Caption:
The new owner of Calum McGregor’s old car familiarising himself with his new wheels.
A massive banner at the Celtic end portraying that front page truth of the 13th June 2012 would look quite good me thinks!
Walter Smith still full of shite, you’ll still be hurting after Sunday, and your new club is heading the same way, as the dead one, right down the shunkie
HH
Walter Smith, the man who walked out on his country for cash, was part and parcel of the EBTs years, took Chuckys money in as part of Sevco is now very forgetful it seems. He is mixing up the oldco and the newco and going for the victim myth. What a bitter twisted old man. He and his colleagues brought down the oldco – your fault Walter you were in deep and kept on spending. Minty and Walter. I’m surprised the zombies aren’t calling for their heads. The revisionism that this semi final has thrown up is gettng to be sickening. Not one journalistic challenge that I have seen so far. Scottish journalists must be either shit scared or retribution or piss poor journalists maybe both
Broxburn,The only Scottish jounalists that i knew are unfortunately not on this earth,the ones left are not journalists,merely a purveyor of shit.
How anyone can marry up MON and Ronny D must have their heads buried deep in the sand, their whole ethos and view of the game are poles apart.
A complete non starter.
HH
Let me take a chance. Some of you will have the advantage on me since I have not seen this guy play. OK, after trying to cover my ass, what do you think about Jason Cummings of Hibs as a prospect? He has 21 goals so far, and had a good hawl last season as well, and he is still only 20. He has 6 under 21 caps and 3 goals at that level. He is also from thst rare collection….he is left footed. Primary position is CF but his secondary is left wing, so a useful replacement for a departing Forrest?
OK, you say, but he is scoring in the Championship. He has scored in the Scottish Cup and League Cup against such as Hearts, Aberdeen and ST Johnstone….all Premier clubs.
His value is under half a million which puts him in the zone for “Ranger” to purchase for next season.
On the downside, he is only 5 feet 10 and not a replacement for CZR or CC.
I know we said no more projects but he is low risk….some cash and a couple of loans to Hibs should do it.
Do we have a development player who is currently better?
Rebus