{"id":16745,"date":"2021-01-31T08:28:29","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T08:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=16745"},"modified":"2021-01-31T08:28:29","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T08:28:29","slug":"celtic-diary-sunday-january-31-groundhog-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=16745","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Sunday January 31: Groundhog Days"},"content":{"rendered":"

There has to be a term for it, this stubborn refusal to look facts in the face and carry on, oblivious to all around you that is crashing down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Oh, there is.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stupidity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the moment it applies to anyone concerned with the day to day running of Celtic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The board are reluctant to remove a manager who has clearly lost his way, for reasons best known to themselves. Perhaps they want the new man to make his own decisions, but as he won’t be here for another six months, thats probably not the cleverest idea.<\/p>\n

Then again, it wouldn’t take long to make a list of this particular boards good ideas.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We’re in a kind of limbo, a purgatory of our own making, everyone knows what needs to be done, but no one appears to have accepted the responsibility of doing it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Frankly, it gives the impression that no one at the club gives a toss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whereas out in the street, the support and the shareholders grow ever restless, bombarded with the gleeful cries of triumphalism, the return of Rangers, and the Old firm rivalry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After the biggest scandal in sporting history went unpunished, we’re right back where we started, and if that isn’t negligence, then it has to be what they wanted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Supporters across the country vetoed the authorities plan to place the new entity into the top league, then the second tier and finally they had to start where any new club should start, if you don’t count the regional leagues.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It’s painful enough to see they appear to have got away with it, and one wonders of this seasons negligence-or, indeed, policy-to use the champions league money from next year to bail them out was the plan all along.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Or, of course, and the evidence does favour this view, we’re just shite.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The mixture of players who wanted away and loan players blocking the progression of the next generation, coupled with a manager who doesn’t actually manage and some coaches who can’t coach has led to some piss poor performances on the pitch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Celtic have lost six games at home this season, and that itself is why there will be no ten in a row, which in itself isn;t the end of the world, but the malaise that has led us here has all the signs of leading us to a catastrophe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It’s not a catastrophe yet, it’s just a remarkably bad season.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The catastrophe is that no one seems prepared to do anything about it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Game after game since Ferencvaros put Celitc to the sword last summer, there have been calls for the removal of Neil Lennon, and results alone since that night have supported that call.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For some reason, he’s still here, and there is no sign of any change yet.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why ?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There is not a single reason to keep him on, which means there must be a reason why they haven;t dismissed him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An that reason could simply be that there is not yet a replacement in mind, or at least a replacement who could start on Monday.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Or they’re going to let him carry on, and his words yesterday certainly indicate that he thinks he’ll be allowed to carry on…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI made my frustrations clear after that Ferencvaros game and I don\u2019t think things have changed much since then.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHas that been part of the problem this season? I would say it\u2019s been one of the elements, yeah.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be a rebuild of some capacity here. Players coming to the end of their contracts may be looking to move on and the club may be looking to move them on.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, loan players will be going back. Whether we investigate loaning them again is a discussion for the summer.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBut there will be changes in the squad, there\u2019s no question about that. We\u2019re forward planning<\/em>
\nnow, absolutely.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe work is ongoing and it will be prominent again in the summer when we\u2019re looking to bring players in.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have already sold a player for a lot of money in Frimpong because we felt it was a good deal for the club. We have to replace him now.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing that concerns me is how the market is in the summer.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cJanuary has been very quiet and you\u2019re worried it might be the same because we don\u2019t know how financially strong clubs are going to be \u2013 or even how our own position is going to look then.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of rebuilding the squad, that\u2019s always an exciting project for me, to bring in new blood and give the squad that extra impetus and freshness which is always good for everyone.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He’s living in his own little world, inside his own little head.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Father<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unless, of course, he’s been told his job is safe, which surely cannot be the case. This board have shown themselves to be detached from reality themselves, but surely even they haven’t concluded the best thing to do is let the new CEO make his own mind up on Lennon.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Surely they must have realised that should they do that, they won’t shift a single season book.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Even the Lennon CSC here in Staffordshire will be considering a name change to honour someone who has done more for Celtic, with Mo Johnston heading a fairly sarcastic list.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lennon continued talking, presumably because he thinks, in his own world, he’s making sense… he can;t for instance, understand why anyone would want to leave Celtic, which is\u00a0 possibly the main reason he hasn’t gone yet….<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a different time to when I was a player.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe landscape in UK football and at bigger clubs in Europe has changed in the disparity in what we can pay compared to them. That\u2019s grown over the years.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the excitement that Celtic brings, the chance to win trophies, compete in Europe and play in front of a passionate crowd is something other clubs can\u2019t offer.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Er, we’re not winning trophies, haven;t competed in Europe for years, and the crowd has been banned because of the plague.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The evidence really is mounting up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Father<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

there is a lot of noise on social media that Lennon is hanging on for a pay off. Thats not how I see it, his rolling contract of one year means he gets a years pay when he goes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And genuinely, as misplaced as it may be, I think he wants to be Celtic manager, pure and simple.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But like the husband or wife who clings on when its clear the relationship is over, he has to be told, firmly, but surely, that it’s over.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And maybe even take out a restraining order to keep him away…..<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It’s been a bad season, we can’t make excuses, referees, whatever.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Celtic fucked this up themselves.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So its up to them to unfuck it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Not next week, or next month, or next summer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There’s a fair bit of work to be done to halt the slide, let alone turn it around, and the sooner that job is underway the better,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The worry is that no one wants to start the process.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The last caption competition…..<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Hyndland<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
Kevin L<\/em><\/div>\n
\u00a03 days ago<\/em><\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Caption<\/em><\/p>\n

Hold a blue piece of paper up if the pensioner with the mic is an arsehole of the highest order<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And, in a bid to cheer us all up, here’s the next one…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

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

There has to be a term for it, this stubborn refusal to look facts in the face and carry on, oblivious to all around you…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":16746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Es_zkZ4WMAQ1WSG.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2J7If-4m5","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16745"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16745"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16747,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16745\/revisions\/16747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}