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Celtic Diary Thursday October 4

Nope. Still can’t get the grin off my face , and still can’t get my feet to touch the floor when I am walking. It still feels bloody good and when the phone goes it is usually someone from the Lennon CSc pointing out what actually happened, and asking if I saw the game.

The strange thing about it is watching, or hearing about how the English teams are getting on, or the other Spanish one, and thinking that we could do a job against them. Ach, perhaps we are all getting ahead of ourselves, but thats the point. Its good when its good, so enjoy it.

But there is always the media to rely on to give us a bite of reality, and to keep those uppity taigs in their place.

Gareth Friel, the expert on SkyBet, who is that much of an expert he works for a website, reckons Celtic will struggle against Hearts on Sunday, and his predictions seem more of a “I hope they will struggle against Hearts” than a simple look at the fact the club could rest everyone who started against Spartak and still put out a team with more internationals than the rest of the league put together.

The Scotsman, known for its objective and impartial reporting, reckons that Neil Lennon is flourishing away from the “bearpit” of the Old Firm, so even if we needed a strong Rangers to do well, the fact that there isn’t one is helping us too.

The author of this piece, Tom English, praises Neil Lennon for getting an away win “at last”, neglecting to mention that , if you include the qualifiers, Lennon has three out of three away wins at this level. Thats why the club are ranked sixth at the moment on UEFAs list. No, don’t panic, its not getting reprinted. There isn’t enough bandwidth to do it twice.

English goes on to mention last October, Ross County and Lennons snarls all in the one paragraph, after which i just stopped reading. After all, the point seemed to be that the Ginger Guardiola is about to be poached by another top team.

Actually, its car crash journalism. I had to read the rest, jaw askance, and yep, its all down to not having to play the tax dodgers anymore. When these newspapers have vacancies for reporters, exactly what do they put in the advert?

“Thick person wanted. Must hate Celtic and have access to a keyboard. Previous experience not neccessary, as we will help you with the big words.”

I know it all sounds bitter, but all he had to say was well done, Neil. We can see what you’re doing with the squad building , Neil.

To get any sort of an impartial look at the performance, you need to look elsewhere. Goal.com this morning published the “team of the round”, a selection of players who performed best during “Matchday two”, and maybe more in hope than expectation, I had a wee look. Messi and Ronaldo were up front, Joe Hart was the keeper, and there in the right back slot was Mikael Lustig, who “rampaged ” down the flank in Moscow. Tom English must have missed that one. Although in fairness, so has everyone else.

Most people seem to have noticed Gary Hooper. Anywhere you look , especially if you use the eyes of Kris Commons, the striker has come of age and is now world class. Neil Lennon is reported as “keen to tie him down”, which is probably against the law, and the signing of Miku and Niouiou has indeed got us a top class forward. Poor old Gary, he will be loving every minute of it, but now the English press, especially if they make an arse of their next game, will be touting him for the role of nations saviour.

Ignore them, otherwise you’ll end up in the EPL playing in front of supporters who don’t give a toss about you. Here at Celtic we actually care. Well, until you have a couple of bad games, that is.

Speaking of Englandshire, heres a wee etims exclusive. Fraser Forster will be selected for the games against San Marino and Poland. Well, its sort of exclusive, as long as you don’t look at ESPNs site.

And therein is the ultimate agony and ecstasy. how can I be expected to hope England get beat, if the big man is in goal? Hopefully, the gut instinct will take over, but its the old cliche of the mother in law going over the edge of a cliff in your brand new car. Thanks to the late great Les Dawson for that one.

Still looking elsewhere, the “Moscow News” (honest) claims that Spartak were undone by a lack of discipline against Celtic, and boss Unai Emery says he “will look at whats going on with our back line” Six goals lost in two UCL games should give you a clue. Mind you, if you cast your mind back to when the group draw was made, “Dick” Emery pointed out that he wasn’t worried about Celtic, as this level was all about technical football, and not kicking it and running after it.

He used to sit next to Ally Mccoist on the coaching course.

Interestingly, as he nears the available for nothing stage of his contract, Aiden McGeady moaned about his manager playing him in the centre…… Could he be the next player from Eastern Europe to ask for political asylum, shortly after the return game finishes?

Still, at least James Traynor has finally looked at some of the guff he’s been writing.

And we believe he was suitably embarrassed.

Not as embarrassed as whichever of the Andy Gorams wrote the piece in the Sun which almost begs the man pulling the balls out of the bowl to pair his favourite third division team with Celtic. The roly poly dual personality-how does that work-did he have four contracts?-claims that “everyone in football” wants to see Celtic v. Rangers in the next round.

Nope, just you, Andy.

See, the thing is Andy, Celtic are in the process of “disappearing over the horizon”, in the words of your doo lally colleague Bill Leckie, except he was referring to the tax dodgers when he said it way back when he used to sit under David murrays table looking for scraps, Rangers however, are hoping for a big game this season. Against a side ranked sixth in Europe. (Did I mention that?)

Be a nice day out for them, I suppose.

 

The teaser wasn’t correctly answered yesterday, Kingsnake was close, but its a bit more specific than that. Keep thinking.

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Dave
11 years ago

Teaser – Win at Celtic Patk before it was all seated?

11 years ago

Ha! No kidding? And I was just having a go at the zombies …

el_guapo
11 years ago

Goram also said he would put money on the huns beating us if we were drawn together. He must be on very strong drugs.

Scotus
11 years ago

Daily Mail rated French ref disaster as another brilliant Collini. Rake through the rest of the Scots blatts for sundry admissions of his jaw-droppers (except of course Provan who has to keep his job) and the Mail accolade becomes increasingly preposterous.
Does anybody in the London office ever read that crappy tartan wrap-around?

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