{"id":11691,"date":"2017-07-15T08:41:11","date_gmt":"2017-07-15T07:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=11691"},"modified":"2017-07-15T08:41:11","modified_gmt":"2017-07-15T07:41:11","slug":"celtic-diary-saturday-july-15-bonfires-bottles-and-bigots-in-belfast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=11691","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Saturday July 15: Bonfires, Bottles and Bigots in Belfast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, that was a bundle of laughs.<\/p>\n

Linfield 0, Celtic 2.<\/p>\n

The game had been moved to Friday so that UEFA observers wouldn’t see the effigies of Celtic players and other club memorabilia being burned on big bonfires as part of the north’s Culture Week.<\/p>\n

Where they wouldn;t see banners using words that haven’t been used since this lot operated their ethnic cleansing policy<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Of course, there’s no connection..<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead, we got to play the game at 1700 hours, although it seemed to have started earlier, at 1690.<\/p>\n

I missed most of it due to dentists, work and traffic, but saw enough of it to make me sort of glad I’d missed it.<\/p>\n

It was as we expected.<\/p>\n

Players were showered with missiles, and the police had to form a barricade to keep the hordes at bay.<\/p>\n

And predictably , it was all down to that young scamp Leigh Griffiths.<\/p>\n

Griffiths was booked on the 65 minute mark when he showed his reluctance to take a corner kick while the Linfield fans were engaged in a spot of tidying up around their seats.<\/p>\n

He found himself on the end of a rain of coins. Then a glass bottle came bouncing along towards him.<\/p>\n

Then he showed it to the referee who promptly booked him, presumably in an attempt to get a top job with the SFA, as he’s aware there will be a few vacancies soon. He obviously hasn’t checked why there are going to be vacancies.<\/p>\n

Five minutes before, the impish Griffiths appeared to taunt the Linfield fans by making an offensive gesture..<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Not sure how thats offensive to Linfield, and even if they took it as a reference to their cousins across the water, I’m not sure which 5-1 he was referring to. There were a couple.<\/p>\n

Five minutes later, and Griffiths was over there again..<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Quite right, the time for drinking is after the game, on the way home..<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Then he went and tied a scarf around the goals , as is his wont after a great result..<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Which was seen by some to lead to this situation…<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Familiar ? Remember Manchester ?<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Riot police, dogs, barricades.<\/p>\n

Whatever could the connection be ?<\/p>\n

Sadly, Celtic captain Scott Brown admitted the players were used to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t get hit but I found a pound coin \u2013 so I came away making a profit!<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThese things happen. We\u2019ve been to Ibrox and Tynecastle and it\u2019s like that all of the time. It\u2019s part and parcel of football.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It shouldn’t be.<\/p>\n

And if you think about it, when was the last time you saw a bottle being lobbed onto the pitch ?<\/p>\n

The Irish independent captured a couple of incidents on video..<\/p>\n

Pitch invasion,<\/a><\/p>\n

Linfield manager David Healy, already upset that any money the club makes from this tie is already being sealed up and sent to UEFA, predictably didn’t see a thing, and then praised his fans for being no different from anyone elses.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Which was later edited for public consumption..<\/p>\n

“I don’t think it was always going to happen.<\/em><\/p>\n

“I think a lot of people in the media were making a big deal out of it.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Linfield as a club have made giant strides over the years to try to cut that shouting and abuse out but you get that in Old Firm games, you get that in Manchester derbies, you are always going to get a ferocious red hot atmosphere.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Our fans back us, back the players and me through thick and thin and hopefully they continue to do that throughout the season.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Lets see, his club moved the game to Friday to avoid the anti catholic marching festival, to prevent UEFA from associating the great big bonfires filled with Celtic related items, and he didn’t<\/p>\n

think it was always going to happen.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

No, I suppose he sits slack jawed in surprise every night as the sun disappears below the horizon as well, turning to his mate and exclaiming<\/p>\n

“Well, fuck me, It’s done it again.<\/em> ”<\/p>\n

There was a fan on the pitch at the end..<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Linfield will face UEFA punishment, which could mean fines and being forced to play behind closed doors.<\/p>\n

Know what would really hurt them ?<\/p>\n

Make them play their next game in the 21st century.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next Wednesday is the return, and judgung by the tiredness evident in the Linfield players towards the end of the game, five days won’t be enough for them to recover, and they were never going to win by three clear goals anyway.<\/p>\n

Last word on the game-at least until UEFA ban Griffiths for drinking on the pitch-goes to the manager, who remained, as ever, diplomatic..<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t see what it was but if that is the case then there\u2019s always a worry,\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t see or haven’t heard anything as yet. I could only see what I saw from the dug-out. It was maybe a bottle of some sort but whether it is a coin, a bottle or whatever it shouldn\u2019t happen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe players should have a safe environment on the field and you want the passion from the stands to stay in there.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou sometimes get these scenes not only here but throughout the country and it\u2019s obviously not something we want to see.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe game was in good spirit in the main and ideally it\u2019s not what you want to see. I thought it was strange to see him getting booked for it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe talk is more on the football and for us the score line is ok. It could have been better but it gives us an advantage for the second leg.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was better than the first game last year,\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWe got the job done. It\u2019s still early in pre-season so match sharpness and being clinical will come. On what was always going to be a difficult occasion the players dealt with it reasonably well.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cRoy Carroll was outstanding and made some brilliant saves. It could have been five or six on another day. We came here to do a job and to win 2-0 is nice. We now look forward to Lyon and the game next week.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh yeah, Celtic play Lyon today.<\/p>\n

I’ll check the fixture list to see who we’ve got Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The predictascore competition saw me eliminated at the first hurdle, though after being two up early on there was a possibility of seven, for a while at least.<\/p>\n

Through to the final round are..<\/p>\n

Wisnae me<\/cite><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0July 14, 2017<\/abbr>\u00a0at\u00a09:32 am<\/abbr><\/span>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Edit<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/a>\u00a0\u2192<\/div>\n
\n

In the words of Hill Street Blues: Hey, let\u2019s be careful out there<\/em><\/p>\n

Linfield 0-2 Celtic<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Cortes<\/cite><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0July 14, 2017<\/abbr>\u00a0at\u00a09:32 am<\/abbr><\/span>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Edit<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/a>\u00a0\u2192<\/div>\n
\n

2-0 to the good guys. With the game tomorrow, I expect a win this evening by marginal\/young players. Just as a GIRFUY.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

mattgallscot<\/cite><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0July 14, 2017<\/abbr>\u00a0at\u00a010:55 am<\/abbr><\/span>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Edit<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/a>\u00a0\u2192<\/div>\n
\n

lin 0-celtic 2<\/p>\n

Martin67<\/cite><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>July 14, 2017<\/abbr>\u00a0at\u00a011:35 am<\/abbr><\/span>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Edit<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/a>\u00a0\u2192<\/div>\n
\n

0-2 Celtic.<\/p>\n

Well done, and don;t forget to enter again on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Today, its back to the pictures..<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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