Celtic Diary Thursday April 14: Does It Feel The Same ?

In the run up to this weeks cup clash with “rangers”, one wonders if its worth asking oneself if it feels like it used to do when the original Ibrox club were the opponents ….

In years gone by, the fans and players would think of nothing else the week before, and their behaviour would be determined for the following week by the outcome of the game.

In essence, does it feel like those games used to feel like ?

Well, there’s no doubting that our support would like to win the game, and win it comfortably.

But this time it’s not about bragging rights, it’s not about who is the top dog in the city, largely , of course, because there is little doubt in any sensible mind who is.

If Celtic were to lose, it would be catastrophic, make no mistake about that.

But not just because it’s against “rangers “, but because it would be another semi final defeat, another trophy lost, and as it is to a team from a lower division, albeit the winners of that division, it would affect our behaviour next week.

Should we win, as is likely, then it would just be another game, another final to look forward to, and perhaps a couple of “unlucky son, hope you enjoyed your big day out ” handshakes to opposing fans as we exit the ground.

For those of us, including me, who don’t see it as a renewal of old rivalries, there is another aspect.

Their support.

It’s unlikely to be one of those games where we can mingle with opposing fans, laughing, joking and drinking in a convivial manner, looking forward and later, back on a game which has, or hasn’t, proved to us what the sport is all about.

Fun, I think, is the word I’m looking for.

Instead, we’ll be funneled into our end of the ground, kept as far apart from that lot as possible, and a number of us will be arrested or have our tickets ripped up for committing such serious offences as singing, talking or wearing t shirts likely to cause offence.

We’ll be exposed to songs celebrating a re run of a battle that wasn’t even the most significant in the seventeenth century wars-Galway was much more important than the Boyne-and its participant, William of Orange, who led a successful dutch invasion of England, and somehow has ended up with the most British of teams hailing him as some sort of hero. You’d have thought they’d have been on the home teams side….

We’ll be reminded, that as they stand opposite singing to us , they are knee deep in our blood, and that they relish that idea.

We’ll be reminded that -ach, why go on.

We all know what we’ll be reminded of…

This game on sunday is less about the teams on the park, and more of a confrontation between the supporters. At least, and hopefully only, a vocal confrontation.

In the blue corner are those who think they have been victimised , those who think they’ve been the object of prejudice from those in society who virulently hate who they are, and what  they stand for.

In the green corner there are those who know they’ve been victimised , those who know they have been the object of prejudice from those who hate who they are, and what they stand for.

And that is why this game, only the second meeting of the clubs, is potentially as much of an event as any clashes between the now extinct “Old Firm ”

They need this game to justify their exostence, they need it to retain some sort of identity, an identity based entirely upon hating the descendants of Irish immigrants and the freedom of movement and choice within society. Hence. of course, their obsession with family  dynasties, which are now, thankfully outdated.

Whereas we can survive without them, having a rich and varied background,  encompassing the past and promoting the future,their sole function is to hate us. For that reason.

They were quite happy wallowing in their own sense of supremacy until someone came along and pointed out that they were, in fact, just like the rest of us, and had to pay their way.

And they couldn’t handle it.

Which leaves us with a sense of trepidation about Sunday.

With the two teams at best mismatched on the field, in ability, fitness and temparament, on paper it should be a relatively straightforward outcome.

A two, three goal win,  maybe even higher for the four times going on five Scottish Champions, depending on how the players approach the game.

There is little chance of them taking it lightly.

Mood in the camp, we hear, is one of quiet confidence. They are looking forward to it just as much as the players at “rangers “, that is the ones who haven’t declared an injury recently, which doesn;t give the impression they are running scared whatsoever…

Which in turn means, that combined with what will be an enhanced atmosphere, of the type the Celtic players are used to, which should, in theory at least , pump our players up at least as much as those in the opposing line up. This media campaign to assure us that normality has returned could backfire spectaculalry on their favourites, and inflict serious psychological damage that will affect Ibrox based teams for at least a generation.

Yesterday, one of the replies pointed out that I seem to be saying that the game is done and dusted, and I can understand why I may be giving that impression.

But anyone who wants to know why i have arrived at that conclusion merely needs to watch the Petrofac Cup Final from last week, and note how slow the game was compared to top level football.

And after watching the game, try to write down the names of at least three players who caught your eye as potential matchwinners on Sunday, three players who could be key to the outcome of the game.

Then try to pick three players from the Celtic midfield who will start the game behind Griffiths and in front of Brown and Biton.

You see, it’s a difference in quality and quantity.

Formula One verus Formula Three.

Now, as I said earlier, Celtic have acquired a recent habit of losing semi finals, in fact, any kind of big game sems to have gone a bit pear this season, and must be aware that despite the gulf-not gap, gulf- in the respective abilities of the two squads, football can be a funny old game.

Especially in Scotland, at Hampden, between the green and blue in Glasgow.

Last time out-which was also the first time out-Celtic took the foot off the gas after taking a two goal lead.

This tactic, which works well against lesser teams, backfired in the European campaign.

On Sunday, the team must not, at any point , take their foot off the gas. Not one single player is allowed to slacken off, no matter how far ahead the side is, no matter how much it looks like they are beaten.

When I said at the top of the page if the feeling about this game is the same as the feelings before the games that went before , i was referring to the anticipation of the gloating afterwards.

I don’t think I’m alone in asking Celtic for a performance that will shut everyone up.

Those who support that club, those who promote it, those who have lied for it, those who have covered up for it and those who have supported it.

I know i mentioned supporters twice, but I really am looking forward to thier howls of derision as reality on the park sets in, which hopefully will give them a much needed sense of reality as to whats happening off the park…

Anyway, what else is happening ?

The respective ladies of the two clubs faced each other last night, with the Celtic girls showing their class.

From the official website…

Scottish Women’s Premier League
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 
Celtic Park 

Celtic 5
(Howat 18 & 73, Mulvey 43, Montgomery 47, Murray 82)

Rangers 1
(Turner 65)

HISTORY was made at Celtic Park tonight (Wednesday) when the Celtic Women’s team played their first competitive match at Paradise, and the Hoops marked the occasion with an impressive 5-1 victory over city rivals, Rangers.

Kirsty Howat had the honour of scoring the first goal at Paradise for the Hoops, while there were further strikes from Suzanne Mulvey and Kerry Montgomery before Howat added her second of the night. And there was also a goal for Christie Murray, making her debut for the Hoops at the start of her second spell with the club.

To the strains of The Celtic Song, Kelly Clark led the Hoops out on to the pitch, accompanied by the warm applause of the Celtic fans in the main stand.

When the action got underway it was the visitors who were first on the attack, with Jordan McLintock’s run down the left creating a corner, but Celtic dealt well with the set-piece and soon took control of proceedings.

And they could have taken the lead after just four minutes. A Christie Murray free-kick from 25 yards out was only parried by goalkeeper, Claire Johnstone, but Chloe Craig’s shot on the rebound hit the side-netting.

Suzanne Mulvey’s cross from almost on the goal-line bounced off the bar and away to safety after eight minutes, and five minutes later, the Hoops had a strong claim for a penalty when right-back Alex Middleton surged into the box and was fouled as she tried to find a team-mate with a pass, but referee, Ross Birrell ignored the claims.

Celtic were looking sharper and slicker, and enjoying the bulk of possession, so it was no surprise when they took the lead after 18 minutes. Christie Murray’s corner was cleared back out to the Celtic No.7 and her first-time pass back into the box was expertly volleyed into the net by Kirsty Howat.

Rangers tried to get back into the game, mainly through McLintock and Chantelle Brown, but Celtic were proving too strong in midfield and at the back.

Just after the half-hour the home side should have doubled their lead but Kerry Montgomery’s header from a Craig free-kick went wide of the post.

Suzanne Mulvey’s runs down the channels were stretching the Rangers defence, and the striker got her reward two minutes before the break when she doubled Celtic’s lead.

Montgomery sent a superb ball down the inside-right channel and Mulvey got into the box ahead of her marker and lofted the ball over the onrushing Johnstone in the Rangers goal to give the Hoops a thoroughly-deserved 2-0 half-time lead.

Celtic began the second-half with an even greater intensity and made it 3-0 within 90 seconds of the restart. The impressive Alex Middleton delivered a cross from the right-hand side into the area and the ball fell to Kerry Montgomery, who showed great composure to fire the ball home.

And Middleton almost made it 4-0 on 50 minutes when she steered a right-foot shot narrowly wide.

Celtic were completely dominating the game, with the midfield triumvirate of Kerry Montgomery, Natalie Ross and Kelly Clark dictating the play.

Indeed, it took Rangers until just after the hour mark before they could muster their first attack of the second-half, when Megan Foley surged into the box, but the Hoops defence dealt well with the danger.

However, on 65 minutes there was a glimmer of hope for the visitors when they scored. Good work from Brown down the left saw her swing a cross into the box and Katey Turner’s looping volley evaded Megan Cunningham in the Celtic goal.

But it wasn’t long before the Hoops restored their three-goal lead and it was Kirsty Howat who netted her second goal of the night.

The delivery into the box came from Celtic substitute, Courtney Whyte, and Natalie Ross did well to lay the ball off to Howat, whose left-foot volley into the roof of the net gave the Rangers keeper no chance.

There were a raft of substitutes from both sides, and it was the Hoops who always looked the more likely to add to the scoring, which they did with eight minutes of the match remaining.

Joanne Paton, another one of the Hoops’ subs, found Christie Murray inside the box at the second attempt, and her precise left-foot shot ended up in the back of the net to make it 5-1 for Celtic.

It was an emphatic victory for Celtic on a night when Hoops history was made.

CELTIC: Cunningham, Ross (Dalgliesh), Craig, Murray, Montgomery, Mulvey, Howat (Paton), Clark, Middleton (McGuire), Rafferty (Connolly), Knox (Whyte).
Subs: Kerr, Cavanagh  

Rangers are believed to be protesting, as they are not sure that Craig Murray is a legitimate girls name. Nor is Ross Dalgleish.

Thanks to one of our readers, who lives in Dundee for sending in a selfie…

And Murdo Macleod, who does a bit of work in the media, will be moving into movies , having been handed a role in Zoolander 3, itself the worst idea since Zoolander 2

Words cannot describe this particular look. Numbers can. One out of ten.

Speaking of the media, and perhaps those who plant stories in the papers…

Dudu Dahan has issued a statement in repsonse to the story that he said there were offers on the table for Nir Biton;

“He is under contract until 2020-and you can definitely quote me on this, he will clearly be staying at Celtic next year. ”  

Someone has either had his arse kicked, or someone at the papers will be soon.

Dahan features highly on the list of approved agants at Celtic, but there may be a stunning twist in policy ahead…Celtic are looking at a striker who has scored 55 career goals in 103 games…

Ángelo José Henríquez Iturra (pronounced: [ˈanʝelo enˈrikes]; born 13 April 1994) is a Chilean footballer who plays as astriker for Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb.

Henríquez began his career with Universidad de Chile before moving to English club Manchester United in 2012. After loan spells with Wigan Athletic, Real Zaragoza and Dinamo Zagreb, he joined Dinamo Zagreb on a permanent basis in July 2015.

A full international since 2012, Henríquez was part of the Chilean squad that won the 2015 Copa América. 

Only looking at him, mind….When it dawns how much he looks like Craig Burley the deal will be off.

Back to sundays game for a moment, and the Record has asked Celtic fans to pick their best eleven for the match…

Eleven ?

We should be more focused on playing with ten…..

And supporters seem to be worried as to who would take a Celtic penalty as Leigh Griffiths has forgotten how to.

You do know what it would take for Celtic to get a penalty don’t you… ?

imagine Patrick Roberts hurtling towards the box….and the defence waiting for him…

Even then Roberts would be booked for diving.

The SFA have issued a statement rubbishing claims that there are one set of rules for “rangers ” and another set for the rest of the Scottish clubs;

“It’s a ridiculous accusation, there are no rules for “rangers ” .”

I missed this earlier in the week, but if there is one next year, could the organisers let us know…

Pensionerbhoy wins yesterdays caption competition with his Fan Of Hunion soup comment, and it will appear on the site as soon as charlie Saiz does.

The picture showed a soup cooling spoon, which for some reason never caught on.

And now, one for the grown ups….