{"id":11835,"date":"2017-08-14T10:48:05","date_gmt":"2017-08-14T09:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=11835"},"modified":"2017-08-14T10:48:05","modified_gmt":"2017-08-14T09:48:05","slug":"celtic-diary-monday-august-14-theres-been-a-gesture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=11835","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Monday August 14: There’s Been A Gesture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Horrified football fans closed ranks yesterday as a manager violently and without remorse cupped his ears at opposing fans.<\/p>\n

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Women fainted, children wept and grown men took to the internet in disgust, with supporters and shareholders releasing a statement that made it perfectly clear that this sort of behaviour was unacceptable.<\/p>\n

( By the way, the leader picture and title owe a debt of gratitude to Eamon O’Lenin on twitter-thanks. )<\/p>\n

The statement, meticulously put together by an educated legal mind read;<\/p>\n

Club 1872 would like to commend the restraint of the Rangers support following a clear attempt by Hibernian manager, Neil Lennon, to incite trouble at yesterday\u2019s game at Ibrox.<\/em><\/p>\n

Rangers and Club 1872 are always keen to remind our supporters of their duty to act as ambassadors for our club but that duty is not one that applies only to Rangers supporters.<\/em><\/p>\n

Mr Lennon has previous for abusing and goading both Rangers staff and supporters. He seems completely unable to control himself at Ibrox. We can only speculate as to why. His actions in the dugout yesterday \u2013 where he made various inflammatory gestures to the supporters sitting directly behind the Hibernian dugout \u2013 were not becoming of any football manager, never mind one who likes to play the victim when things do not go his way. It is inexplicable that the fourth official chose to take no action against him at the time but, against the backdrop of possibly the worst refereeing performance ever seen at Ibrox, perhaps we should not be surprised.<\/em><\/p>\n

Mr Lennon has been extensively quoted in the media as saying that he \u201cdidn\u2019t make a gesture\u201d. If that quote is accurate then he is not only irresponsible but a liar.<\/em><\/p>\n

Had a Rangers supporter reacted to Mr Lennon\u2019s actions yesterday then we would no doubt have been treated to further dramatic headlines about the persecution he has to suffer. Instead we have seen several media commentators make jokes about Lennon\u2019s conduct. It is only because of the good sense of our supporters that they are in a position to do so.<\/em><\/p>\n

Police Scotland categorised this match as high risk due to the behaviour of Hibernian supporters at the Scottish Cup Final in 2016 when Rangers players were attacked on the pitch. Neil Lennon knew that and he knew he had a responsibility to act in an appropriate manner. He shirked that responsibility and reverted to type.<\/em><\/p>\n

We hope that Police Scotland will speak directly to Mr Lennon over the coming days and at the very least give him a warning over his future conduct at Ibrox. We also expect the SPFL to take action against Mr Lennon over his failed attempt to incite trouble.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Issued by Supporters Voice Limited, a Club 1872 company.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s never a good idea to write something, or indeed do anything, when the beer from the previous day is still in your system.<\/p>\n

Whoever put this together was no doubt swigging from a bottle of fine tonic wine as he furiously beat the keyboard.<\/p>\n

This was added to the petition about anti Rangers refereeing that hit the web almost as soon as the final whistle was heard at Ibrox as Hibernian dealt a crushing blow to the new clubs charge to fifty five titles by making it perfectly clear they would still need fifty five to get there come May.<\/p>\n

With Aberdeen and Celtic still to play this term, their support have received an earlier than usual slap to their pre season gurgling , and it hurts.<\/p>\n

Of course, all of this bleating and whining deflects from the two main issues that should be paramount in the thoughts of those who follow the Ibrox club.<\/p>\n

Firstly, their manager and players aren’t very good at managing or playing, and secondly, they are skint, having depended on European income that will not be there to keep the books balanced, a tactic that let them down so badly before that you have to question the thinking behind it, if indeed any of them actually stopped to think about it.<\/p>\n

Why is all of this worth mentioning ?<\/p>\n

Because the very cancer that should have been cut from Scottish football is back, and its threatening to spread throughout the game.<\/p>\n

Only the authorities and the clubs can halt \u00a0the voracious infection that threatens the game, and nurse it back to health.<\/p>\n

The decent Ibrox fan, and there are plenty of them, must be cringing every time Club 1872 switch their laptop on, and perhaps its the fact that they are losing whatever influence they had that forces them to release such desperate claims as those above, but if the result of what is little more than a rabble rousing and spiteful whine is a charge brought to Neil Lennon then they will have been given carte blanche to intimidate evry other club and its employees who visit Ibrox on professional duty this year.<\/p>\n

And surely that cannot be allowed to happen ?<\/p>\n

Hibs boss Neil Lennon probed by cops over ex-Celtic gaffer\u2019s touchline antics during match against Rangers<\/h1>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

But, in fairness, \u00a0it is the job of the police to investigate all complaints, no matter how ridiculous.<\/p>\n

Maybe they will simply say there is no case to answer.<\/p>\n

They need to, otherwise we’ll have more of the same throughout the season.<\/p>\n

Oddly enough, no one is investigating why there was another pitch invasion at Ibrox, no one is asking where the stewards and police were then.<\/p>\n

If these invasions had taken place during a UEFA match, then the place would be closed down.<\/p>\n

No one is looking at some of the threats on social media to Neil Lennon, who may be used to it all by now, but it must be taken seriously, given the previous bombs, bullets, beating and bullshit he’s had to put up with…<\/p>\n

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Or this, aimed at former favourite referee John Beaton…<\/p>\n

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Thats the referee shafting the club, not the endless stream of directors who have been doing it for years, oddly enough by feeding the paranoia and siege mentality that is now threatening to become a major social issue.<\/p>\n

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It may be too much to expect the SPFL to get involved, even though it is there fervent desire to move on and forget all the problems that have eminated from Ibrox, which now appear to be playing out on permanent repeat, and there’s no chance of the SFA doing anything.<\/p>\n

The media ?<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Or maybe not…<\/p>\n

Keith Jackson of the Record tells a story that hasn’t come from Level 5, probably the first in a long time…<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been some other highly curious goings on concerning the media at Murray Park, where Rangers have started training their own cameras on the press men who are despatched there to ask questions of manager Pedro Caixinha on behalf of their respective readerships.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a sinister sub text to all of this. Ask anything too difficult and the club reserves the right to put it up online in order that the support can act as judge and jury.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, this sort of intimidatory tactic will be right up Jong-un\u2019s street but it does not reflect well at all on those who are making decisions on Rangers behalf.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt resulted in a mass walk out of football writers from Caixinha\u2019s pre-match briefing ahead of Saturday\u2019s visit from Hibs and it will most likely happen all over again when the media are \u2018welcomed\u2019 back to preview this weekend\u2019s lip smacker of a match up with Hearts.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Maybe some people are wakening up to the fact that they are professional journalists after all.<\/p>\n

It’s been a long time coming, but it should be welcomed nonetheless.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You see, if the new club want to be allowed to play with the grown ups, then they have to be told in no uncertain terms to start acting like grown ups.<\/p>\n

And as for the police, maybe its about time they stopped wasting taxpayers money , and devoting a significant chunk of their time and budget to investigating footballing non events.<\/p>\n

Or at the very least, had an objective look to find the common denominator….<\/p>\n

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Meanwhile, back at the ranch there’s a big game this week.<\/p>\n

All of the guff around the Ibrox pantomime means that manager Brendan Rodgers can get on with getting his players ready for the visit of Astana on Wednesday in what is another season defining match for the club.<\/p>\n

There is a chance that Patrick Roberts will sign in time to strengthen the squad, but Manchester city are still playing hardball over the details of the full cost of the player, despite having no interest in retaining him.<\/p>\n

It’s a business, after all.<\/p>\n

Celtic can register one player as a wild card ahead of the tie, by 11pm tonight, though its unlikely that this will be used if its anyone else but Roberts, who is familiar with the way the team play and would be a useful addition to the squad, if only from the bench.<\/p>\n

Mind you, Leigh Griffiths is confident ahead of the game…<\/p>\n

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David Brannigan<\/strong>\u200f\u00a0<\/span><\/span>@divbranflakes72<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
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