{"id":15410,"date":"2020-03-18T08:24:45","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T08:24:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=15410"},"modified":"2020-03-18T08:24:45","modified_gmt":"2020-03-18T08:24:45","slug":"celtic-diary-wednesday-march-18-amidst-all-the-hysteria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=15410","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Wednesday March 18: Amidst All The Hysteria"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite every man and his dog offering their opinions on how best to conclude the football season, with ideas ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, it appears UEFA have made evryone’s mind up for them.<\/p>\n

It’s hardly big news, as we heard the players were being given ten weeks off, although of course they were given training schedules to keep up with by themselves, which meant that although the UEFA news didn;t break until yesterday, everyone pretty much knew what was coming.<\/p>\n

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UEFA, the European Club Association, European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe today signed a joint resolution on the principles of a contingency plan regarding the 2019-20 season. The principles include details on the completion of national team and club competitions\u2026\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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UEFA EURO 2020, which was set to take place from 12 June to 12 July 2020, will be postponed to 11 June to 11 July 2021. This will help to ensure that the UEFA EURO 2020 can be a great celebration of football for all the supporters across the continent.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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The UEFA Nations League Finals, the final tournament of the UEFA U21 EURO and the UEFA Women\u2019s EURO all scheduled between June and July 2021 will be re-scheduled accordingly.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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The resolution features a commitment to complete all domestic and European club competitions by the end of the current sporting season, i.e. 30 June 2020 at the latest, should the situation improve and resuming playing be appropriate and prudent enough.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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There could be adaptations of the 2020\/21 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds in case of late completion of the 2019\/20 sporting season, i.e. after 30 June 2020.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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A working group composed of representatives from UEFA, leagues and clubs will be immediately established to examine relevant calendar matters and devise solutions allowing for the resumption and\/or conclusion of the current season in a coherent manner.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Some common sense, and the biggest sighs of relief came from the SFA\/SPFL , who realised they wouldn’t have to be the ones to tell “rangers ” and Hearts that they’d have no money coming in through the turnstiles for a while, and perhaps more importantly, there is now no need to show them the rule book that negates any argument about whether or not the season should be voided.<\/p>\n

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Perhaps a bigger sigh of relief came from Steven Gerrard, who will now not be asked to explain why he thinks Liverpool should be awarded the Englsih title if their league is stopped, and why Celtic shouldn’t be given theirs.<\/p>\n

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Happily for him, no one in the Scottish media has thought to ask him that.<\/p>\n

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Happily for him, all the attention has passed to the latest dot on the Daily Record’s Keith Jackson’s radar, which suggested that a far east businessman was about to chuck \u00a320m into “rangers “, presumably because he couldn’t find his cigarette lighter in order to dispose of it more successfully.<\/p>\n

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Yesterday, Jackson, who really should know better, said;<\/p>\n

Property funding expert Stuart Gibson is on the verge of ploughing millions into\u00a0Rangers<\/a>\u00a0and becoming the most influential figurehead in the Ibrox boardroom.<\/em><\/p>\n

Record Sport<\/strong>\u00a0can reveal the Japan-based businessman was in Glasgow last week to meet with the current regime as he edges closer to completing a deal which will see\u00a0Dave King<\/a>\u00a0step away from his position as chairman.<\/em><\/p>\n

Paisley born Gibson has made his fortune in the Far East since moving there in 1999 and his real estate company ESR boasts of having more than \u00a31.5billion worth of assets under its management.<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s understood the life-long Rangers supporter was initially attracted to the idea of investing in the club around six months ago after discussions with current director George Taylor, a senior investment banker with Morgan Stanley, based in Hong Kong.<\/em><\/p>\n

Gibson has secretly attended a number of games during that time including a Betfred Cup semi final win over\u00a0Hearts<\/a>\u00a0in November and the defeat to\u00a0Celtic<\/a>\u00a0in December\u2019s final.<\/em><\/p>\n

Gibson had also planned to be at Ibrox for Sunday\u2019s Old Firm derby before it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Today, somwhat shamelessly, he reported a source in the far east who said;<\/p>\n

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\u201cStuart thinks it\u2019s still a bit premature to make any official statement. He\u2019s considering investing in the club but he has not been in talks regarding taking over the club from Dave King. He\u2019s just a well-meaning fan trying to support the club.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the meantime, Stuart will continue to focus on his business in Asia.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Our own source in the far east analysed the evidence, and concluded it was all<\/p>\n

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“bollocks<\/em> ”<\/p>\n

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There is support for the Ibrox club out there, and there are people who may yet invest in either this Ibrox entity, or more likely the next one.<\/p>\n

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But these guys did not become wealthy by throwing their money into big holes just because they sang about popes and vaticans when they were kids.<\/p>\n

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As for Celtic, the forced shutdown will affect the finances, but they should be in a position to ride it out. That’s not the case for other clubs,and there was talk that “rangers ” wanted to avoid a shutdown and play out the remaining games, and not even behind closed doors.<\/p>\n

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Paul McStay said of the mood at Celtic Park;<\/p>\n

” There’s a bug about the place<\/em> ”<\/p>\n

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He didn’t. But he would have if he’d thought of it.<\/p>\n

Celtic are happy to go along with whatever rules are made to protect the health of their staff, players and supporters.<\/p>\n

No fuss, no comment apart from the minimum necessary.<\/p>\n

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Whereas at Ibrox, if such an irresponsible attitude towards their own supporters, demanding that games go ahead with crowds does not tell the fans exactly what this breed of venture capitalists actually thinks about them, then nothing will.<\/p>\n

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The lengthening of the season will lead to some interesting conundrums regarding player contracts at Celtic.<\/p>\n

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Some loannees, such as Moritz Bauer might as well get back on the train home , whereas others, such as Forster and Elyannoussi could be on the train home before the season kicks in again. Celtic would have to ask for an extension or sign them permanently if possible.<\/p>\n

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The situation could become worse as Craig Gordon is out of contract this summer and shows no sign of wanting to stay. That could leave the club with only Scott Bain and no back up, which might explain the sudden surge in enthusiasm from the Ibrox support which claims the league is not over.<\/p>\n

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Well, enthusiasm or delusion, depending on which way you look at it. I know how I’m looking at it.<\/p>\n

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While there is no activity on the playing side, there are one or two deveopments on the business side.. which have probably added to the panic on the other side of the river, with Celtic looking ahead at possible income streams, such as this…<\/p>\n

EVENTS Venue Approved For Land Beside Celtic Park<\/h1>\n
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Coronavirus: Orange Order axes all marches and events<\/h1>\n

The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland said it was time for the ‘institution to play its part’.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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You Retweeted<\/a><\/p>\n

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ironic that one disease has stopped another\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Things off the park are bad for them right now, so they do need cheering up.<\/p>\n

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James Traynor has been replaced by David Graham as propaganda minister at Ibrox, with the Fat controller finally hanging up his hat. It appears his unique style of PR has finally upset enough of the Ibrox board to have them terminate\u00a0 his consultancy ..he never worked directly for them… and allow him to fully concentrate on his book…<\/p>\n

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David Graham is a bit of a cheerleader for the Peepil, being a DUP man and an Orange Order member , and he is the obvious choice to keep the tangerine tender flying in.<\/p>\n

(From the Record )<\/p>\n

Rangers\u2019 new head of communications David Graham has insisted that the\u00a0Ibrox<\/a>\u00a0outfit is open to everyone and there is no reason why it \u201ccannot be a 21st century club for 21st century people\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

There was shock in football circles when it was announced earlier this week that Graham, a DUP councillor and senior member of the Orange Order, would be taking over from current PR chief Jim Traynor with the Belfast based man stating he had landed his dream job.<\/em><\/p>\n

The lifelong\u00a0Rangers<\/a>\u00a0supporter says that \u201cthe future includes everyone, irrespective of sexual orientation, religious background or cultural affiliation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Graham\u2019s open to all policy will be viewed with interest across Scottish football and beyond.<\/em><\/p>\n

He said: \u201cRangers is proud to be a modern, diverse football club where people from all backgrounds, cultures and communities can unite to celebrate and support a common cause.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have had a ground-breaking diversity and inclusion campaign called \u2018Everyone, Anyone\u2019 which\u00a0Steven Gerrard<\/a>, the manager, launched last year.<\/em><\/p>\n

Not like the Orange Order, which no doubt Graham will suggest adopts a similar open to all policy now he’s noticed that it’s the 21st century.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe historic reality is unionists from across the United Kingdom have historically supported Glasgow Rangers and those from the nationalist background have supported Glasgow Celtic, but that doesn\u2019t mean that Rangers is not and cannot be a 21st century club for 21st century people.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud of our past but we are open to everyone. The future includes everyone, irrespective of sexual orientation, religious background or cultural affiliation.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone who wishes to wear the blue shirt either on the field at Ibrox or support us in the stands will be made more than welcome.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In fact, not only can anyone wear the blue shirt,\u00a0 it would be handy if they could bring along another dozen as the club doesn’t have any for next season at the moment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All of this somehow adds up to a media campaign that supports the narrative that had the league continued, “rangers ” would have made a fist of the title race, and Hearts would have suddenly found enough form to pull themselves off the foot of the table.<\/p>\n

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Hearts may have done, as just a few wins in a relegation batte can make all the difference, whereas at the top Celtic would need to lose four more games than “rangers “, and “rangers ” would still have to win all of theirs.<\/p>\n

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Stranger things have happened , but only in television fiction, and even then the story had to retain some credibility.<\/p>\n

Despite being thirteen points adrift, albeit with a game in hand against St johnstone, who are in no way to be taken lightly, the two games against Celtic mean they could easily claw back nine of those points, presumably because Lionel Messi and Cristian Ronaldo\u00a0 have been holidaying in govan and can’t get a flight home and they’ve both asked to play for the club\/company while they’re stuck here.<\/p>\n

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Various former players and expert pundits have thrown their voices around sort of backing this point, though given the level of expert opinion in the mainstream media that’s hardly surprising.<\/p>\n

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Or it could just be that they have to find something to talk about…regardless of whether it makes any sense…<\/p>\n

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In the meantime, stay safe.<\/p>\n

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Back to Saturday for the last caption competition…<\/p>\n

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\"Image\"<\/p>\n

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Dziekanowski’s nightclub child<\/em><\/div>\n