Celtic Diary Sunday July 17: Celts Practice Winning 2-1

Far be it from me to be a harbinger of doom, but right up until kick off on Wednesday, I still be thinking thats the most likely score against the Imps.

Thats despite all the evidence from yesterdays game pointing to the Gibraltans being on the end of a scoreline that will prompt them to write to UEFA and ask not to be considered for this level of football again. something their FA seriously considered after losing six goals to Gordon Strachans Scotland, and still has people pointing at them and laughing.

Celtic beat Wolfsburg 2-1, despite falling behind to an early own goal as Eoghan O’Connell got his name on the scoresheet,  As soon as he calms down a bit and realises he wont be entirely judged on what happens in these friendlies, we may see a little more composure and thus a little more of his ability.

Celtic fought back with goals from Calum McGregor and Ryan Christie to get the hoops back on the winning trail.

Someone who is losing the nerves and adapting is Kristoffer Ajer, who is improving with every appearance, and Brendan Rodgers, speaking to the press after yesterdays game, has noticed;

“I thought he was nervy when he first came in, but he settled and can become a very good player,”

“He’s adjusting to the speed and has a lot of potential.

“Every player is under consideration if I see enough in training and games, irrespective of age.” 

Well, almost everyone.

There were concerns after the game that part time model and full time footballer Erik Sviatchenko wouldn’t be ready for the Imps game after his hair was all messed up following a clash with Wolfsburg keeper Diego Benaglio,

but a crack team of hairdressers were on standby ready to deal with such an event, and he should be fine for Wednesday, but we are informed it was touch and go. Or Wash and Go. Or something.

“He’s okay,”

“He has spoiled his good looks for a few days but he is fine.

“There was obviously a clash of heads and he was a bit swollen below the eye but apart from that he is fine. I believe he will be fine.” 

The manager also gave us his thoughts on the game…

“It was a really good day It was a real honour and pleasure to walk out there in the first game and to have the turnout we had today was fantastic.

“On top of that I think the players performed and we had a double training session yesterday where we worked them really hard and intensely and I think today, even on the back end of that, to have that physicality in the game, how we pressed the game and created opportunities, I was very pleased.

“It was a good day all round for us in terms of our preparation, and was another step for us.

“We set up differently in both halfs and the players coped very well. Over the course there were real good moments of pressing and creating chances.

“I think we had seven real good chances in the first-half then we set up slightly differently but, again, minimised Wolfsburg to minimal opportunities but looked a threat going forward so it was good.”

He also took time to tell us he wasn’t going to talk about Celtics next possible opponents in Europe, Astana, of Khazakstan, which isn’t in Europe, or Zalgirus Vilnius, which sounds more like a left back we’ve been looking at for a few years.

 “The only concentration is on the next game.

“The object was to come out on Wednesday at the end of the game and be through to the next round.

“If we get through in that, and we expect to go through, we will look to the next challenge.” 

Good thinking. There will be plenty of time to worry about whichever one of those we play, should we overcome the Gibraltans.

It was a good result, and a better performance than of late, but lets get it into context, as it was only the second outing for Wolfsburg in their pre season run, as these selected comments note;

VfL Director of Sport Klaus Allofs: “That was a very good test, which considering the level of difficulty, maybe came a bit too soon for us, as Celtic have been in their preparations for longer. There were a number of scenes in which that was very visible. There was a lot of tempo in the game, but considering the way the match went, the defeat was unnecessary. It’s no real surprise that we had fitness deficits in a number of situations. At this stage of the preparations, we are just not as far along as Celtic.”

Robin Knoche: “It’s a pity that we lost this game, but we still need to find ourselves as a team. We haven’t yet got all of our sequences studied and at times we lacked the necessary communication, but some things did work out quite well. We have quite a bit to work on in some intensive weeks ahead.”

Paul Seguin: “In the first half, we played quite well – especially in our attacking efforts. At the back, we at times lacked the communication we need, but that will change! I am delighted about my goal, but it’s a real shame we didn’t win.”

The lack of signings at Celtic is worrying some sections of the support, well, all sections of the support, and there is still a lot of speculation.

As ever, the limited period that allows for signings means that players and agents will wait as long as they possibly can in case something better comes along, or , as is the case with Celtic, when the club is under pressure to do business, they will start to ask for silly money.

And with Celtic, silly money, in the eyes of the board, is anything above minimum wage with a fixed term contract….

No, i haven’t forgotten that “job ” they’re advertising in customer service.

And neither has one of our readers, who goes under the name of Steve Brown, on twitter… ( maybe because thats his name )

He sent this to John Paul Taylor, the supporters liaison officer at the club, and as we know, he does read these things..

As a Celtic Season Ticket holder, who helps fund the operation of the club, I would like to register my complete disgust at the advert for a Customer Service Operator at the Celtic Ticket Office on a Zero Hours basis. 

This person is expected to “provide world-class” service and yet will be employed on a zero hours basis!

This should be wholly anathema to the ethos at Celtic FC which was founded on a much prouder basis.

One of the first things Ann Budge did was to get rid of Zero Hours contracts at Tynecastle. My view is shared by every Celtic supporter I know, and I mix with a very diverse group of Celtic fans. 

There’s lots to be proud of at Celtic, but this is a stain on the character of the club.

We need to stand above the crushing of the most vulnerable in society, and stop contributing to their need to go to food banks to survive.

It can be done, it should be done and must be done.

Please pass the message on. 

It might be worth you reminding him as well, and asking him to pass the message on…

Anyway, back to the lack of incoming-and outgoing, to be fair-and as ever, theres a lot more speculation than information.

Joe Flanagan, the Liverpool right back who managed eight games last season for the Mersey club, has been added to the list of former players that Rodgers is supposedly looking at, presumably because he’s looked at Saidy Janko and decided that Dedryck Boyata can fill the position of frightened rabbit for the next few months.

Shane Duffy is “taking his time ” and there are tales of a swap deal which may involve James Forrest/Gary Mackay Steven or anyone else that Anthony Stokes is missing . Owen Coyle , Blackburns manager, may yet return to Celtic Park with his chequebook, because they still use cheques in that part of the world. Not necessarily their own, though.

With the template for new players already in place, who knows who could be the next head superimposed onto a Blackburn shirt-

Nir Biton didn’t feature yesterday, as he’s hurt his hip, or says he has anyway, and all we know about that is his agent wishes it was his fingers because of the repeated text messages along the lines of “have you found me anywhere yet lol “

Neither did Stefan Johansen, another rumoured to be wanting away, a tale which gained a little more credibility when the Norwegian was spotted on the southbound Bothwell service station on the M74..

The third of the midfield trio which has been under a little pressure over the last few months, captain Scott Brown, got to play yesterday.

And he got some praise from the boss;

“Scott was outstanding.” 

 Its a start, I suppose. By Wednesday he could be out running, and the following week he could be out dribbling, tackling and passing.

Watching a rerun of the Lincoln game with my mother in law, ( she likes to watch people arguing, and often comes to our house for that reason ) who is deaf, I got to “hear ” a few of his remarks to Lincoln players, and suffice to say its alright winding them up, and I don’t mind a little disrespect, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if one of their players goes through him on Wednesday…

Have a look back and see ……

Brown likes to wind players up, I’ve no problem with that, but it does help if you get your own performance right first, otherwise you end up looking a little stupid, and no amount of staring at someone will change that. Then it just looks like you’ve forgotten what you were going to say.

Anyway, Rodgers continued…

“His intelligence, his aggression, the way he really manages the team on the field has been very impressive.

“I was really happy with the midfield against Wolfsburg. You saw how dynamic they were in the first half.” 

Fair enough. Things are looking up.

Roll on Wednesday…

Theres one other thing I spotted.

Remember the early talk about Steve Gerrard… ? Talk that hasn’t entirely died down yet ?

If there’s any truth in this wee snippet below, , I’d have him in tomorrow.

He could be just what we need.

Whats in the news-well, some Hibernian fans , and some other football fans have been in court after the Hampden Massacre back in May, which saw the credibilty of certain Scottish journalists brutally murdered.

From the BBC…

Four Hibs fans have admitted their part in a pitch invasion at the end of the Scottish Cup final.

David Jack, 19, Bryan McCabe, 45, Steven Gordon, 28, and Alexander Lanni, 22, ran onto the Hampden Park pitch after Hibs played Rangers on 21 May.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court, Jack, of Edinburgh, also admitted pushed Rangers player Andy Halliday.

And Gordon, also of Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to kicking an unknown man while he was on the ground.

Each of the men either ran towards or approached Rangers fans and gesticulated in a threatening or aggressive manner or behaved aggressively.

Football banning orders

They were among hundreds of fans who spilled on to the pitch after the full time whistle at the match which Hibs won 3-2.

It led to scenes of disorder among a small number of supporters which “appalled” the Scottish Football Association.

In court, Gordon was fined £566 and given an 18-month football banning order.

McCabe, also from Edinburgh, was given the same length of order and a £400 fine.

Sentence was deferred on Jack, from Edinburgh, until next month for a social work report and on Lanni, from Livingston, to call alongside his trial in December for allegedly assaulting a man at Hampden, which he denies.

Three other football fans denied charges of running on to the pitch after the game. 

George Henderson, 49, from Penilee, is alleged to have behaved in an aggressive manner towards opposition fans and challenge an opposing fan to fight and attempt to punch them.

Robert Barr, 19, from Kilbirnie, denies entering the field and approaching rival fans, brandishing a chair and behaving in a threatening manner as well as assaulting a man by kicking him on the body.

Robert Smith, 24, from Glasgow, is also accused of entering the field, behaving in an aggressive manner, approaching opposing fans and waving his arm in the air, and assaulting someone by kicking them on the body.

Sheriff Kenneth Hogg granted bail for each of them and Barr and Lanni have special conditions not to attend any football matches until the outcome of their cases.

So subtle you would hardly notice it, but one is left to wonder why the club supported by the latter three isn’t mentioned. Wonder which one it was ?

Chelsea , maybe ?

Fridays Diary contained this picture, prompting all manner of witty replies;

of which this was the wittiest…